Politics

Free the Files

Help Unlock Election Spending

Outside groups are spending hundreds of millions to influence the coming elections. Help unlock outside spending by “freeing” political ad buys from television stations in swing markets.

Crowdsourcing Campaign Spending: What We Learned From Free the Files

by Amanda Zamora,

Dec. 12, 2012, 1 p.m. EST

FCC’s Plan for Fixing Its Political Ads Transparency Site? It Won’t Say

by Justin Elliott,

Dec. 6, 2012, 12:30 p.m. EST

What We Learned from Free the Files -- and How to Make It Better

by Theodoric Meyer,

Nov. 14, 2012, 2:57 p.m. EST

Outside Groups Dominated Las Vegas Airwaves in 2012 Campaign

by Theodoric Meyer,

Nov. 13, 2012, 1:48 p.m. EST

Meet the 10 People Leading ProPublica’s Free the Files Effort

by Amanda Zamora,

Nov. 8, 2012, 1:44 p.m. EST

Dark Money and the 2012 Election: We Need Your Help!

by Paul Steiger and Stephen Engelberg,

Nov. 6, 2012, 5:14 p.m. EST

Debate Night Snacks: Help ProPublica Take a Bite out Dark Money Spending

by Amanda Zamora,

Oct. 22, 2012, 12:59 p.m. EDT

Big Electric Companies Behind 'Grassroots' Ad Campaign in Florida

by Theodoric Meyer,

Oct. 15, 2012, 5:37 p.m. EDT

Free the Files Tracks $294 Million in TV Ads, With Obama Topping Buyer List

by Amanda Zamora,

Oct. 12, 2012, 11:43 a.m. EDT

Reporting Recipe: Four Stories You Can Write Using Free the Files

by Justin Elliott,

Oct. 10, 2012, 12:11 p.m. EDT

Free the Files Frequently Asked Questions

by Amanda Zamora,

Oct. 10, 2012, 11:34 a.m. EDT

Free the Files Teams Up with Huffington Post to Unlock Political Ads in Swing States

by Amanda Zamora,

Oct. 10, 2012, 11:19 a.m. EDT

Free the Files Volunteers Unlock $160 Million in Ad Buys in First Week

by Amanda Zamora,

Oct. 5, 2012, 3:04 p.m. EDT

Dark Money Group Told IRS It Wouldn’t Be Political -- Then Spent $1 Million on Campaign Ads

by Justin Elliott,

Oct. 4, 2012, 11:17 a.m. EDT

Get a Free the Files Widget

by Al Shaw,

Oct. 3, 2012, 10:47 a.m. EDT

Free the Files: Help ProPublica Unlock Political Ad Spending

by Al Shaw, Amanda Zamora and Jeremy B. Merrill,

Sept. 27, 2012, 3:57 p.m. EDT

Dark Money Poured Into New Mexico Senate Contest

by Kim Barker and Justin Elliott,

Sept. 27, 2012, 3:32 p.m. EDT

Search Political Ad Files from the FCC

by Amanda Zamora,

Sept. 27, 2012, 10:05 a.m. EDT

New Details Emerge About Dark Money Group in Ohio U.S. Senate Race

by Justin Elliott,

Sept. 11, 2012, 10:57 a.m. EDT

Revealed: The Dark Money Group Attacking Sen. Sherrod Brown

by Justin Elliott,

Sept. 7, 2012, 10:12 a.m. EDT

Political Ad Data Comes Online — But It’s Not Searchable

by Justin Elliott,

Aug. 2, 2012, 1:38 p.m. EDT

Broadcasters Make Emergency Motion to Block Transparency Rule

by Justin Elliott,

July 11, 2012, 1:06 p.m. EDT

Political Ad Transparency Rule Clears Another Hurdle

by Justin Elliott,

June 27, 2012, 8:16 a.m. EDT

Republicans Back Down On Effort to Defund Transparency Rule

by Justin Elliott,

June 20, 2012, 1:39 p.m. EDT

Media Companies Make Yet Another Push to Defang Transparency Rule

by Justin Elliott,

June 12, 2012, 2:13 p.m. EDT

Republicans Vote to Block Transparency on Political Ads

by Justin Elliott,

June 7, 2012, 9:59 a.m. EDT

New Disclosure Rules for Political Ads Could Take Months

by Justin Elliott,

May 29, 2012, 9:32 a.m. EDT

Broadcasters Sue to...Block Transparency

by Justin Elliott,

May 22, 2012, 10:48 a.m. EDT

FCC-Required Political Ad Data Disclosures Won't Be Searchable

by Justin Elliott,

April 27, 2012, 12:17 p.m. EDT

Broadcasters' Last-Ditch Push to Hide Political Ad Data

by Justin Elliott,

April 26, 2012, 11:10 a.m. EDT

Public Files? Not On A Student Budget

by Daniel Victor,

April 25, 2012, 9:31 a.m. EDT

Meet the Media Companies Lobbying Against Transparency

by Justin Elliott,

April 20, 2012, 9:50 a.m. EDT

Broadcasters Are ‘Against Transparency,’ Says FCC Chairman

by Justin Elliott,

April 17, 2012, 11:24 a.m. EDT

Behind Closed Doors, Broadcasters Battle Online Disclosure of Political Ad Buys

by Justin Elliott,

April 13, 2012, 1:40 p.m. EDT

Campaign Ads: How To Free the Files at Your TV Station

by Daniel Victor,

April 6, 2012, 12:58 p.m. EDT