The document divide: Public record requester demographics, efficacy and those left behind

Democratic theory suggests that people require accurate information, often via newspaper journalists, to make informed decisions and adequately self-govern. A survey of 330 U.S. public record requesters found that they skew heavily toward being White, male, non-Hispanic, educated, older, and affluent, compared with the U.S. population and the journalism community. Implications are discussed for journalism and society, particularly in light of newspaper layoffs and closures and heightened government secrecy.