Using Columbia County's Media Policy model of allowing only those "Official Media Organiztions" doing the business of gathering "Factual Information About Current Events" into "Executive Sessions" and the like, Clatsop County Commissioner Jeff Hazen, the author of the resolution that abolished the Clatsop County District Attorney stipend, plans to float this proposal before his colleagues and the citizens of Clatsop County at the March 26, 2008 Clatsop County Board of Commissiners meeting.
This should be an interesting and entertaining event to witness.
Columbia County recognizes as legitimate news gathering and media agencies without qualification, The Independent-Verninia, The Chief - Clatskanie, The daily News - Longview, The Chronicle - Saint Helens, The Spotlight - Scappoose, The Oregoinian - Portland, KOHI Radio - Saint Helens and stipulates no other entities shall be recognized as a "News Media Organization" unless it is recognized the the following process: (A) Must provide evidence the the entity is organized and operate to publish, broadcast or disseminate news to the public abd that ordinarily reports the activities of Columbia County, or that ordinarily reports matters of teh nature under consideration by Columbia County. (B) it shall be the entity's burden to persuade the Board by preponderance of evidence that it is a news component of a larger organization which isn't necessarily a news media agency. (C) The Board may consider any relevant evidence provided or gathered in making a decision whether to recognize an entity as a news media organization. The Board shall make its determination whether to recognize the entity as a news media organization based on the following criteria:
(i) Regular publication, regular broadcasts or regular updates (at least once weekly) of news.
(II) Publication, broadcast or website must caontain a minimum of 25% news content, and include news produced by its own staff.
(iii) The publication, broadcast or website must not serve primarily as a platform to promote the interest and/or opinions of a special interest group, indicidual or cause, or as a forum to air grievances, engage in gossip, or for personal attacks or character assassination.
(iv) Evidence that the entity ordinarily reports the activities of Columbia County or the entity ordinarily reports matters of the nature under consideration by Columbia County.
(D) The Board's decision to recognize or not to recognize an entity as a news media organization is a "Quasi-Judicial" decision reviewable as provided by ORS 34.010 to 34.100.
Yes indeed, interesting and good entertainment and will likley test the hell out of the First Amendment.
8 comments:
You have to wonder about the timing of this. Have they recently been visited by throngs of questionable journalists?
Not only are they going to decide what media outlets to admit, but they're also going to decide what constitutes news and how often a media organization should publish in order to be considered a legitimate news source. I hope a whole passel of constitutional lawyers shows up to show them the possible error of their ways. They're looking to set a dangerous precedent and might end up wasting taxpayer money on lawsuits challenging any restrictive decision.
I think you are off base here Rich.
I doubt they are going to do anything on "admitting" except maybe in Executive Sessions.
They can't keep people from reporting what goes on at the County.
Even if they do something similar to Columbia County, I don't see where the Constitution is even an issue. It's just that now nothing is in writing and their media policy is by the seat of their pants.
... will likley test the hell out of the First Amendment.
Not really.
I believe a precedent was set a LONG time ago, with the forming of the "White House Press Corp". Those admitted to White House news briefings, must be vetted and approved by a committee. And nobody has led a civil-rights lawsuit against the Feds for that, so ... if it's good enough for the Feds, it's good enough for the County.
Besides, just how would it work? Say they don't give credentials to the Daily Asswholian. A reporter from the DA could still attend any meeting that a normal citizen could, and write about it. They could still ask questions of the Commissioners, like any normal citizen, and write about it. They could still file a Freedom-of-Information-Act request, like any normal citizen.
Come to think of it, what does being "credentialled" give you, that a normal citizen doesn't get? Why should a "credentialled" reporter get more access than a normal citizen to their government representative?
McGee, we know you didnt write this piece about the media policy. You should give the source of it.
" Anonymous said...
McGee, we know you didnt write this piece about the media policy. You should give the source of it."
Is the first sentence in the thread too difficult for even you to comprehend?
It starts out......"Using Columbia County's Media Policy model...
t starts out......"Using Columbia County's Media Policy model..Using Columbia County's Media Policy model of allowing only those "Official Media Organiztions" doing the business of gathering "Factual Information About Current Events" into "Executive Sessions" and the like, Clatsop County Commissioner Jeff Hazen, the author of the resolution that abolished the Clatsop County District Attorney stipend, plans to float this proposal before his colleagues and the citizens of Clatsop County at the March 26, 2008 Clatsop County Board of Commissiners meeting.
This should be an interesting and entertaining event to witness.
yeah yeah....like I said, you didnt write it and you dont give the source.
Paranoia strikes deep, uh?
I suspect Patrick found it the same way most of us did, by going to Clatsop County's website and reading the upcoming agenda they post for the next meeting.
It is buried on page 57 and under "other business" but the idea of licensing the press is a little spooky. Particularly for a commission that hasn not always done their business in public.
Yeah, this, especially coming from Hazen, ought to be worth watching.
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