Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thaks for your knowledge, Eric. Do you have any answers to my other questions about photos in public? At 10:48 PM 4/13/98 -0500, Eric Welch wrote: >At 06:22 PM 4/13/98 -0700, you wrote: >>If I publish a news magazine, am I automatically considered "press?" >>If so, how does one go about getting a "press pass?" Are these >>distributed by law enforcement, or does the newspaper or magazine >>make their own? > >Yes, if you publish a legitimate news magazine, you are automatically >considered "press." > >Press passes are distributed by arenas, and other closed private venues to >let the press pass their line. You do not automatically gain one just for >being the press. > >Police are constrained by 1st Amendment from "licensing" the press. We are >not sanctioned by the government. That's what makes us free. Thus, the >police allow the press in. The piece of paper we hold is for identification >only. There is no legitimacy grated by anyone elses to us. > >Our job is to be the eyes of the public, and it's the public's benefit that >grants us the right to cover news. Not because we're something special, or >we have lots of money and power. It's a sacred trust. Some of us take it >seriously. > >But you have to be a legitimate member of the press, or the cops can keep >you out of a disaster with no consequence. There are laws in most states >that describe what kinds of things we do and don't have access to as >members of the press. >========== > >Eric Welch >St. Joseph, MO >http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch > >There's too much blood in my caffeine system. > Francesco Sanfilippo, Five Senses Productions webmaster@5senses.com http://www.5senses.com/