Newspaper's reporters turned away from interview with governor (Jeb Bush)

[Judi Lynn]

Newspaper's reporters turned away from interview with governor

The Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --
Three Palm Beach Post reporters were turned away Wednesday from a year-end interview with Gov. Jeb Bush because his office said the newspaper's bureau chief has treated staff members inappropriately.

No other capital news organizations were excluded from the end-of-the-year interview sessions. The newspaper's bureau chief, Shirish Date, met with the governor's communication's director, Jill Bratina, Tuesday and was told an invitation would not be extended.

But Date and two other reporters, Mary Ellen Klas and Jim Ash, arrived at the governor's office and asked if they could participate. Press office staffer Leslie Steele said simply "No."

The Post said the inappropriate behavior cited by Bush's office stems from a phone call during which Date cursed at Bratina. (snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031217/APN/312171100

[Myra]

1. But good media lap dogs get flown to Iraq and served fake turkey

Fake turkey for Faux "News."
Fitting.

[bluestateguy]

2. Pay attention: This is how a Dem. president should treat FOX reporters

SOmebody needs to teach them a lesson.

[ixion]

4. two wrongs don't make a right...but

part of me tends to agree. However, I don't think FAUX should even be considered a news organization.

[kskiska]

3. The other papers should have boycotted.

Just don't cover His Highness.

[Robb]

5. In the old days

you would have seen just that, a flurry of outrage from other newspapers over the very idea that politicians could cherrypick who would cover them.

Not anymore. Short-sighted whores.

[Kolesar]

6. Those papers should flay Jeb now

unless they are pussies.
edit:"s"

[salin]

7. If they do this TOO much... it backfires

if they start threatening more papers, and those papers don't take the bait (eg just print the "nice" stories), the end result is that Jebbie loses more and more free publicity (most press conferences and the like are free positive publicity.) It prevents him and the party from using the media to get their message out, and to counter any negative stories (think... the family services agency scandal a year or so ago.) I don't think they really want to cut off their nose in this way. One or two papers or specific writers, perhaps. A slew of media, not a chance.

I hope the media outlets realize that they really do have "power" in terms of coverage, and do not as a whole cow-tow to this attempt to subvert the free press.

For example, imagine what would happen if Jebbie had a press conference and no-one came to cover it. His PR folks would go nuts.

[pinto]

8. governor's office refusing to provide public records requested

by (Post) reporters or imposing exorbitant fees to obtain them. Same ploy worked for Jeb's brother in Tx.