FOIA section 2(f)

FOIA

Definition of news media

5 ILCS 140/2(f). Definition of news media

2 issues across 2 determination letters:2 no violation.

Counts are per issue, not per letter, and come from automated extraction checked against sampled letters. Determination letters are not binding precedent.

Authorities the Bureau cites most on this issue

Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 33323 cited 2 times
Cellular phone bills and credit card expenditures (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 44649) cited 1 times
A data-aggregation website's classification for daily crime data requests (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 34653) cited 1 times

Drafting brief for an AI assistant

Copy this into your assistant to help draft a request, appeal, or challenge to a denial that turns on this issue. It carries the rules and decisions, not your facts: add those yourself. Machine-readable version: foia-2-f.json.

TOPIC: 5 ILCS 140/2(f) - Definition of news media
SOURCE: Illinois Attorney General Public Access Bureau decisions compiled at https://illinoisfoia.org/provisions/foia-2-f/
NOTE: Determination letters are not binding precedent; they show how the Bureau applies the law. Verify every decision against the source PDF before citing it.

NO VIOLATION (2):
- News media exception to recurrent requester status
  Rule: Self-published social media pages that lack journalistic standards do not qualify as news media under FOIA.
  Decision: A police department's designation of a recurrent requester (non-binding determination letter, July 31, 2023) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77333/
- Whether requester qualifies as news media under FOIA
  Rule: Self-published websites without editorial oversight or original content do not qualify as news media under section 2(f).
  Decision: Cellular phone bills and credit card expenditures (non-binding determination letter, December 2, 2016) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44649/

MOST-CITED AUTHORITIES: Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 33323; Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 44649; Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 34653

TASK FOR THE ASSISTANT: Using only the decisions above, help draft a letter. Argue from the rule and cite the decision by name and date. Do not invent decisions.

No violation (2)

News media exception to recurrent requester status
Rule: Self-published social media pages that lack journalistic standards do not qualify as news media under FOIA.
No violation A police department's designation of a recurrent requester · July 31, 2023
Whether requester qualifies as news media under FOIA
Rule: Self-published websites without editorial oversight or original content do not qualify as news media under section 2(f).
No violation Cellular phone bills and credit card expenditures · December 2, 2016