| Yesterday, the Rules and Legislative Administration Committee met to discuss an issue close to my heart, media access on the House floor and in Committees. Currently, the House has no policy regarding media access. Until recently, it didn't need one. But now with the newspapers near or in bankruptcy (and the consequent drastic coverage reductions) and the ascension of citizen journalists, they need to figure this out.
What if one of we bloggers from MN Progressive Project showed up to watch a Committee hearing or the floor proceedings tomorrow. Well, we might get sent home. Maybe not. There is no policy, but I have a sneaking suspicion.
"We are working hard right now to develop a policy," said Rep. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Mpls), Vice Chair of the Rules and Legislative Administration Committee. He wants to make sure that all media including bloggers and video bloggers have access to the floor and all committees.
There are space concerns, for popular hearings or floor proceedings they may not be able to allow everyone who is interested direct access. How do they balance mainstream journalists and blogger access to the state capitol proceedings?
Hayden wants to make this based upon circulation/readership, but "how do we sort it out" is the question vexing him. Circulation/readership seems reasonable, but I'm concerned that some new, dedicated blogger can get access, too. The problem, as I see it, is that some legislators (and sadly, possibly many) don't get it and probably don't want to. Hopefully, the types don't rely to heavily on any bleating from the established (and I would argue dying) media.
Time will tell and Rep. Hayden will keep me posted.
Mike McIntee of The Uptake was kind enough to pass along this statement from the MN Society of Professional Journalists: |
Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists supports the ability of online-based journalists to attend any and all legislative gatherings open to other media. SPJ can see no reason why journalists should be excluded because of how their product is distributed. By barring online reporters, legislators portray themselves as out of touch with the method by which an increasing number of Minnesotans receive their news.
If the Legislature is concerned about the conduct of individual reporters, existing rules and procedures can be utilized. If the problem is one of space, then the criteria for distributing media passes should be equitable for all journalists, not arbitrarily discriminatory based on an outlet's medium.
The Minnesota Independent quotes House Rules Committee Chair Tony Sertich as saying a rule change to allow online media would open access to anybody. In fact, the change gives open access to everybody, which is the best and most credible means of government accountability in a democracy. |
