Thanks Jill.

We've spent the past 48 hours scrambling with local/state officials that I had not even thought of the Media Bloggers Association. I will involve and inform them as we move forward.

Erin

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

As Jill pointed out, the battle here in Ohio over who is a "responsible reporter" for purposes of Statehouse accreditation, which provides the privilege of access to the floors of the Senate and House, is just beginning. To catch up on the four-month volley between the OhioNews Bureau of ePluribus Media.org and the Statehouse press corps (a.ka. the Ohio Legislative Correspondents Association or OLCA) that ended in our being rejected based on their subjective judgment that we are "politically biased" and do not "adhere to the high standards of journalism" found in their constitution, check it out here.

Jill also pointed out that in addition to not letting a former three-year member-in-good-standing like me into their ranks who would constitute their first ever new-media journalist, the president of the group told me in an email Wednesday that he wouldn't even grant me the courtesy of a one-day press pass to cover Ohio Governor Ted Strickland's State of the State address on February 6th. He provided no other explanation. But given the "no further comment" response we received from him on behalf of his board to important questions we asked in seeking more understanding of why we werre rejected, I wasn't surprised by his totally inadequate and lame decision. He then directed me to the House gallery, which is open to the public, to cover the governor's address.

Meanwhile, in our view, he and his board members are in stark violation of not enforcing the conflict of interest provisions in the group's constitution and bylaws. Nearly all their member reporters work for newspapers that belong to the Ohio Newspaper Association, which lobbies the legislature. A reporter cannot have business before the legislature, nor can the organization they work for. But that's exactly the case, as we see it. Furthermore, OLCA's constitution has no specific language defining what constitute "high standards of journalism," the basis upon which we were denied membership. Clearly, new-media journalists and bloggers are held to different standards.

The Statehouse press corps has won the first two skirmishes of credentialing; but the battle is just starting. I think they've lit the fuse that will come back to blow up their vested-interest redoubt of exclusion.

Through Jill's help, Bob Cox at Media Bloggers Association contacted me and offered his help. New-media journalists like myself and those who have commented here should be proud of blazing new trails, challenging media monasteries like OLCA or the LAPD and advancing the notion that you don;'t have to work for a legacy print media group or kowtow to unreasonable or politically jaundiced gatekeepers to be a responsible and respected journalist.

If anyone has ideas or suggestions for tactics or strategies we should employ going forward, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at ohionews@epluribusmedia.org. John Michael Spinelli, OhioNews Bureau Chief (the "gentleman" Jill referred to in her post).

I was told the "system" they use at media relations is notecards, and as a reporter changes stations or publications, they simply move the notecard from one file to the next. So it sounds like they may be behind the times in more than one area.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

The RRLibrary and the GOP announced the debate with CNN, more specifically they announced how to get credentials, weeks before the event.

Anyone who needed to go through any law enforcement process, LAPD or otherwise, would be subject to background checks that take months.

As Katy and I have already been through the process, we went to LAPD for our 'law enforcement' credentials seeing as they had us on file and any other law enforcement entity in the state would take months to run the checks.

LAPD was the fastest way for us to get official media law enforcement credentials in the time frame from when the requirements to attend were announced. Any law enforcement pass would have been fine, out of state or otherwise.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

And the RTNDA tells me relations between media and LAPD really, really went south after the scuffle.

I should note I was also involved in the LAPD and media tussle outside of the Democratic National Convention in 2000. I was clubbed by an officer on the back as I was fleeing with protesters (despite having a microphone, tape recorder, press pass, etc) and actually had a bruise to show for it on my wedding day in August. I did not take action against the LAPD, as I was more caught up at the time in my wedding and honeymoon, but other reporters did.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

So yep, count me in for a tale or two or "LAPD does not like different." Twice in my younger days I was tear-gassed and hit with batons. My crime? Being a punk rock kid at a concert.

Sigh. Glad to hear they've evolved so much in 20 years.

PopConsumer
Beyond Help

Nelle,
The LAPD's excuses are bogus. When Laurie and I went to DCin June to cover the All American Democratic Candidates' forum, the Secret Service ran background checks on 20 of us in less than 24 hours. Similarly, we were credentialed very quickly to cover the Scooter Libby trial last February. The Department of Homeland Security has spent considerable sums on local law enforcement, in California and elsewhere. If the LAPD has an antiquated system for something this simple, what else are they lagging behind on?

Erin, I hope you are sending a note to Jim Romenesko, in addition to your call to Bob Cox.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

You make a very good point.

My experience in Ohio has been that I've been a journalist - was on the SPJ board until earlier this month, and I've called myself a freelance writer, editor and blogger. I haven't called myself a journalist so much only because I do not have a formal education in it but I don't think I shy away from using it - but your post is making me be more thoughtful about that, certainly going forward. I'm proud of the journalism work AND the blogging work I do.

John Spinelli was indeed a traditional journalist with full credentials who now does his work online. Bill Sloat is another journalist who is now a blogger and he is well-known as being both.

I don't actually know specifically of anyone in Ohio who has tried to hide the journalism part of their work. I've experienced the problem more as one that involves a resistance to accepting hybrids - not knowing what to do with people who have multiple platforms on which they work or provide their writing. And this is a familiar problem to me because when I was finishing up grad school with a jt degree in law and social work, I often had people say, "That's so interesting! But we don't where we'd "put" you."

I don't know if any of that is helpful - I think you and I are pretty much promoting the same thing - just get rid of the labels, but also, I think you are saying, drop the "versus" part too?

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

I think we need to be careful when discussing Journalism. Which is why I framed my question as "Are bloggers Press?"

I find bloggers and all online media to be press regardless of their backgrounds. As much as I may not like tabloid press, something like a TMZ or what not, I still think they are media-for better or worse. They cover celeb trials better than other outlets I can name, and frankly should be credentialed to get inside the courtroom. Saves us newsies from having to do it, too.

The reason I find my journalist background prudent to this case isn't because I think someone without it should be out in the cold, but because i'st affording me the opportunity to have already been vetted by the LAPD and deemed NOT a terrorist or trouble maker. If the LAPD's reasoning for failing to credential bloggers based on not knowing if they will pull a "Gizmodo"- my previous background check by them, which was approved, deems their argument invalid.

Had I been a self-made blogger, with no history with the LAPD, I would have filed for a new press pass, and been subject to the checks, etc.

I think it's valid to want to know what LAPD would have done with someone applying for the first time, and it's my understanding they are denying those requests as well.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

I was trying to get into tonight's debates and hadn't even thought of using my "blogger" creds. I got all kinds of emails/texts/IMs this morning chastising me for not using my blogger credentials. Then a friend of mine who works at CNN asked, "Is there a reason you didn't try to pull your old press pass?" Eek! I had completely forgotten about my radio and magazine work, as I didn't consider it "real".

The other bloggers who did get their passes, don't necessarily have widely read blogs, many of them get less hits than mine, but they are journalists and get printed all the time. Therefore, they're not really seen as "bloggers", but as journalists who happen to have a blog.

"I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal. I cannot be comprehended except by my permission. I mean...I...can fly like a bird in the sky." Ego Trippin' by Nikki Giovanni
Visit me at faboo mama

While it is wonderful that the internet has created a world where we can divulge and read information from a multitude of angles, is it journalism?

What is the definition of journalism? That we are paid for it or that we have a certificate or that we are hired by a 'legitimate' news source?

I think some of that has to be taken into consideration still.....this may be the information age, but having some way to sort the information out there can be helpful.

Not saying that paid news is 'real' news. It just helps to filter the information and the source for the average reader out there.

We are BOMBARDED by information now. With a myriad of agendas attached.

I think online media needs to be recognized for sure...but then there needs to be TYPES of online media....what is a 'news' source and what is 'free information' or something.

Then you have to look at professionalism and ethics IN online media and so on and so on.

Anyway, I lost my train of thought.....

Look for me at http://crunchycarpets.com or check out the ladies at www.wetcoastwomen.com

Brian it's fantastic to see you in this forum. Thank you so much for your kind words and for the LAFD's willingness to step into social media, like the department's blog.

You and the LAFD were always a pleasure to work with-and as BlogHer continues to discuss and cover everything from Mommy and Family to news, I have no doubt we'll be on scene together once again.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain