Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/04

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Campaign solicits race of Arizona Star photographer, turns away t wo Albuquerque Journal Reporters
From: KCassidy at asc.upenn.edu (Kyle Cassidy)
Date: Wed Aug 4 07:45:20 2004

They should have asked if she had a Leica.... 

However, apparantly staffers for Vice President Cheney wanted to know the
race of the photographer sent to cover a ralley by the Arizona Daily Star. 

http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/dailystar/32301.php

Access to the same ralley was denied to two Albuquerque Journal Journalists
who were discovered to be registered democrats, while a third, a registered
republican, was allowed to cover the event.

http://www.abqjournal.com/elex/204620elex07-30-04.htm

I've kept my political views to myself while photographing political events,
which, I think, is the duty of all journalists. I believe my political
portraits are indeed "fair and balanced". To selectively allow particular
media access to events is really an attempt to distort coverage. This isn't
about politics, it's about journalism, and therefore, I think relevant to
this list. Real reporters and photojournalists should be above accusations
of partisanship in their reporting and politicians must respect this. The
role of a free press is partly to shine a light on the government, and if
this is tampered with our ability to report and to be witnesses for the
public is tampered with, the truth can become distorted and the free press
is no longer free. 

I realize there is more to leica photography than news gathering, but it's
an important part of this camera's history. I'm not sure if the LUG is
capable of discussing access to the media without partisan barbs, I hope we
can. If we can't, Brian's just going to delete this post and nobody will see
it anyway.....

kc

Replies: Reply from bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] Campaign solicits race of Arizona Star photographer, turns away t wo Albuquerque Journal Reporters)
Reply from reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid) ([Leica] Campaign solicits race of Arizona Star photographer, turns away t wo Albuquerque Journal Reporters)
Reply from s.dimitrov at charter.net (Slobodan Dimitrov) ([Leica] Campaign solicits race of Arizona Star photographer, turns away t wo Albuquerque Journal Reporters)