OpenPublica for local journalism

Find the record behind a story.

OpenPublica helps you search recent and historical city council and other public meeting records in covered cities. Trace the budget, contract and public-comment discussions behind your next story.

Search summaries and available transcripts. Ask AI research questions and open the supporting meeting records.

Search contract discussionsSee the workflow

Public meetings are free to browse. No account needed.

Reporting worksheet
Reporting questionHow was the contract discussed?
Search terms“contract renewal”
Source checkMatching transcript passage

Read the surrounding context. Verify wording in the recording.

Meeting date · confirmSource link · keep with notes
Illustrative example. A research workflow, not a live record.

From a question to the record.

  1. 1

    Search the lead

    Try an organization, contract or budget term across covered meetings.

  2. 2

    Read around the match

    Use summaries for leads, then inspect the surrounding transcript.

  3. 3

    Build your source list

    Keep meeting links and recording timestamps beside your reporting notes.

Can I quote an AI summary?

Treat it as a lead. Verify quotations against the source recording.

A free OpenPublica account

Keep your beat close.

Pick up the reporting trail when new records arrive.

Followed cities
Bring the cities on your beat into one feed.
Saved searches
Keep contract, budget and organization terms.
In-app alerts
Choose alerts for new matching records.

Up to 10 cities and 10 saved searches. One city per search.

Coverage and transcripts vary. Verify findings against recordings and official records.