MMMM # 480 ---Defining a "journalist"

    

Lots of Internet/new media types were going nuts during the just- ended Organizational session of the Alabama Legislature.
 
     Legislators were considering rules limiting who may cover the legislature as a "journalist" or "reporter". Here's part of the proposed rules as posted by  Rep. Christopher John England on his Facebook page:


2. Applicants seeking press credentials are required to submit documentation from their employer certifying that they are engaged primarily in reporting the sessions of the legislature.
The applicant must also certify that, with the exception of the Alabama Press Association and the Alabama Broadcasters Association, and the exception of receiving advertising revenue, they have no affiliation with any person, firm, corporation, association, or political party that attempts to influence legislative issues or lobby members of the Alabama Legislature.
3. Applicants unable to comply with the aforementioned certification requirement will not be issued legislative press credentials, but will still be free to cover sessions of the Alabama Legislature from the public galleries located on the sixth and eighth floors.
Any person who is discovered to have misrepresented themselves to obtain legislative press credentials will have their credentials denied or revoked."

     The lawmakers eventually decided against the regulations, but it was another battle in the war against the established media by the individually operated blog-centric outfits.

The regular session of the legislature begins in March...we'll see who gets credentials and who does not. I know the folks at Alabama Public Television had to oppose the regulations. Like all state agencies, their Director is registered as a lobbyist, and that would prevent them from receiving credentials if the rules had been approved.

###

In Australia, the government is refusing to release a critical report on the country's public broadcaster, ABC. Among other things, the report apparently found...."

"... there were not enough qualified people making sure material that went to air or was published online was being properly checked."

...yet ABC is reducing its budget by five percent.

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of TimLennox.com]