NEW YORK CITY LAW DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES PUBLICATION OF PROPOSED NEW RULES FOR PRESS PASSES
THAT INCORPORATE ONLINE MEDIA
From press release issued 3/2/2010 by the NYC Law Department
The City Law Department today announced the publication of proposed new rules for issuing press passes to members of the media in New York City.
The rules proposed to be adopted by the Police Department modernize the City’s credentialing system to reflect changes to the media industry and, for the first time, expressly incorporate online-only media such as blogs.
The new rules, which were published today in the City Record, also address the major contention in a lawsuit filed in November of 2008 that challenged the existing credentialing system.
“This is a press credentialing system for the online age that can serve as a model for governments around the country,” said Administrative Law Division Chief Gabriel Taussig. “The rules were drafted in a collaborative process with input from numerous interested participants, together with extensive research and a public listening session with members from all segments of the media.”
“We have streamlined and improved New York City's Rules for Press Credentials,” said Norman Siegel, one of the attorneys in the lawsuit. “The new rules will enable journalists to gather and report news in a more successful manner than before.
Online journalists will now be considered as 21st century journalists and be treated equally to print, television and radio journalists.”
Under the proposed new rules published today, to obtain a press credential, an applicant must show that he or she has covered, in person, six news events where the City has restricted access, within the two-year period preceding the application.
In addition to employees of traditional news gathering organizations, the new rules cover self-employed newspersons and other individuals who gather and report the news. The new press card will be issued every two years.
A press card allows its bearer, with the approval of police, to cross certain barriers established by the City at news events. Many non-City entities also rely on the City press card to distinguish who is a member of the media.
The proposed rules continue the issuance of “reserve cards” that allow news organizations to credential a reporter for a specific assignment. The proposal also provides for the continuation of the issuance of a “single event press card” which will be available to journalists who have pre-registered and need the credentials to cover a single event. The reserve card and the single event card eliminate the “chicken or the egg” problem that exists for a prospective press card applicant who has not yet covered, in person, six news events.
The proposed rules allow for the creation of a press card, reserve card, and single event card, eliminating the “Press Identification Card.”
The proposed rules establish timeframes for granting or denying press card applications, and also for hearings and appeals concerning the denial of an application.
A public comment period on the proposed new rules begins today and extends through April 7, 2010. On that day, a hearing on the rules, open to the public, will be held at Police Headquarters in Lower Manhattan.
A report on the January 19th, 2010, appearance by Commissioner Ray Kelly, as part of the New York Press Club's "An Evening With..." series.
By Mark F. Bonner
New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that if he had his way the police department would have nothing to do with issuing credentials or parking placards to news reporters.
“We don’t need the hassle,” Kelly explained during his Jan. 19 New York Press Club appearance. “I don’t know if that’s what you want. You need to think that through as an industry because, frankly, we have better things to do.”(Note: for more on the credentialing issue see story, below).
The statements came after a series of questions from reporters who complained of hostile and uninformed public information police officers and what is perceived by some as "unfairness" in the issuance of press credentials.
Many reporters who questioned Kelly told him of their problems with NYPD’s Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information — otherwise known as DCPI. An oft repeated complaint was that the office is slow to respond during breaking stories with information that NYPD might fairly be expected to know.
One reporter said there have been repeated instances of never hearing back from DCPI officers. Kelly said he would look into specific complaints, but also said he thought reporters at times have unrealistic expectations when it comes to information.
“You have to give us time to get the story,” Kelly said. “Reporters always think we have the whole picture right away. We don’t. It takes time to get accurate information.”
On the subject of certain news organizations being denied press credentials, Kelly said the department often has trouble identifying which news outlets are legitimate and which ones are just would-be news gatherers. And given the large size of New York’s media pool, Kelly said, his officers have to be vigilant when protecting a crime scene or any other event involving the police.
The commissioner said the process of credentialing is a considerable challenge because his officers must also contend with counterfeiting and the improper duplication of credentials.
One reporter with 35 years in radio said he recently went to work for a Web site but couldn’t transfer press credentials from his old job. His venue changed; not his experience, he said. Why couldn't he get proper credentials?
“We recognize that everything is moving to the web,” Kelly said. “It’s difficult for us to discern who is an amateur blogger and who is in the business. As the Internet continues to emerge this will work itself out.”
Responding to allegations of verbal and physical abuse from DCPI officers towards reporters, Kelly advised listeners to report such incidents immediately. He declined to comment further unless someone brought up a specific incident. No one did.
“We’re dealing with the human equation,” Kelly said. “Cops are not perfect. Reporters are not perfect. I know this is hard to believe, but not all cops love reporters.”
WCBS Newsrario 880 News Director Tim Scheld suggested to Kelly that the police and media come together to discuss their issues in a roundtable setting, exchanging information regarding the challenges each side faces on a daily basis.
“Often times, I don’t think [the police] understand what we as reporters have to go through on a daily basis,” Scheld said. “And I’m sure it goes both ways. We might not understand what the police are facing.”
Kelly agreed, but warned that for such a meeting to take place there would have to be “sensitivity on both sides.”
In the end, Stan Brooks of WINS 1010-AM said issues between the media and the NYPD have gone on for decades. And every so often both sides need a refresher course on relations.
“I think we got our message across tonight,” Brooks said. “I mean we’re not out there everyday to crucify people; we’re out there to report the facts.”
Originally from New Orleans, Mark Bonner is a writer and editor based in New York City. His work has appeared in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Baton Rouge Advocate, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger and on the New York Press Club Web site. He is currently the blog editor for Graphis, the international journal of visual communications.
Press Release from the Mayor's Office, March 23, 2009 (abridged)
MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES NEW STEPS TO HELP FREELANCERS WORK IN NEW YORK CITY IN SPEECH TO ECONOMIC CLUB OF NEW YORK
Through New Partnership with Freelancers Union, City will Work to Establish New Unemployment Safety Net for Independent Workers, Identify Office Space, and Persuade Albany to Reduce or Eliminate the Unincorporated Business Tax.
“Since the markets crashed last fall, we’ve been expanding our job training efforts by keeping our Workforce1 Career Centers open on nights and weekends. Back in 2004, those centers were placing 500 New Yorkers in jobs per year. Last year, even with the downturn, the Centers placed more than 17,000 New Yorkers in jobs, and we’re aiming for 20,000 placements in 2009.
“We also want to increase entrepreneurialism in the City. After all, losing a job can be a golden opportunity to start your own business. (Thank you very much, Salomon Brothers.)
“Earlier this morning, we launched our latest entrepreneurial initiative, called the FastTrac New Venture Program. It’s a partnership with the Kauffman Foundation to provide training to aspiring entrepreneurs and recently laid-off workers who are interested in starting their own businesses. Increasing the number of entrepreneurs will not only create new jobs; it will help create the companies that – when the good times return – will be ready to capitalize on new opportunities.
“We also want to give people more incentive to work – and for many who are laid off, that can mean self-employment or freelance work. These independent workers make up more than 15 percent of our workforce – often supporting our signature industries, such as design, publishing, and fashion. As many larger companies shed jobs and industries go through a fundamental restructuring, even more people are turning to freelance work – and there’s nothing like being your own boss.
“But freelancers, who are often middle-class entrepreneurs, have never had much political clout, and so they face some serious disadvantages when it comes to taxes and benefits.
“I think it’s time to start leveling the playing field for freelancers, and today, I’m pleased to announce that we’ll be forming a new partnership with the Freelancers Union to begin addressing these long-standing problems.
“Problem number one is that New York State has an Unincorporated Business Tax that double-taxes independent contractors and sole proprietors. We’re pushing to reduce or eliminate that tax for 17,000 businesses. That would let them keep more of their hard-earned money – and it would encourage more people to do freelance work… which is exactly the kind of economic activity that can end up creating jobs and stimulating growth.
“Freelancers also lack any safety net to fall back on during hard times. If a company lays you off, you can collect unemployment. But if you’re a freelancer and you lose all your clients, good luck. That’s not healthy for workers and their families – and it’s not healthy for our economy.
“And so today, I’m pleased to announce that we will be working with the Freelancers Union to develop a proposal that would create a federal unemployment benefit for independent workers. One way this could work is to create a fund that workers would contribute to and that would also offer freelancers some level of tax benefits.
“Our new partnership with the Freelancers Union will also work to create more affordable office space. In January, we launched an initiative to create new incubator space for aspiring entrepreneurs – because overhead is often one of the major obstacles to growth. In the months ahead, we’ll work with the union to find space specifically for freelancers – and we’ll help them market the benefit to their members.
“I know the union’s president, Sara Horowitz, is here with us today, and Sara, we look forward to working closely with you and other leaders to make New York City as freelance-friendly as possible.
Members Urged to Contact Senators
To Resurrect "Shield Law" - S. 2035
BILL STATUS:
Contact Your Senator:
Because of security procedures on Capitol Hill, delivery of regular mail often takes more than two weeks to reach congressional offices. E-mail is now preferred as a means of registering your opinion on pending matters.
NEW YORK
Kirsten Gillibrand Phone: (212) 688-6262 | E-mail.
Charles Schumer Phone: (202) 224-6542 | E-mail.
NEW JERSEY
Robert Menendez Phone: (202) 224-4744 | E-mail.
Frank Lautenberg Phone: (202) 224-3224 | E-mail.
CONNECTICUT
Christopher Dodd Phone: (202) 224-2823 | E-mail.
Joe Lieberman Phone: (202) 224-4041 | E-mail.
Stalled last Summer on a failed cloture vote, S. 2035 ("Free Flow of Information Act") has taken a back seat to the numerous economic crisis and health care debates that have been occupying Washington so far this term.
The New York Press Club is nevertheless urging members to contact their senators to encourage revival ofthe bill.
Besides the cloture attempt which failed by 9 votes, no action has been taken since the bill was voted out of committee in October of 2007 (15-2).
The measure is sponsored by (among others) Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
The bill establishes a federal privilege for reporters to protect and encourage the free flow of information between journalists and confidential sources. It seeks to reconcile reporters' need to maintain confidentiality, in order to ensure that sources will speak openly and freely, with the public's right to effective law enforcement and fair trials.
In order to balance these competing interests, this bill creates a qualified privilege for reporters to withhold information they obtain under a promise of confidentiality. It ensures that a federal court can only force a journalist to reveal confidential source information where the information is truly critical to a case or investigation. It also requires the party seeking a reporter's confidential information to exhaust all reasonable alternative sources before turning to the media.
The bill also contains exceptions to the privilege for those situations where information sharing is critical. A reporter may not withhold his source information where it is needed to prevent a terrorist attack, significant harm to our national security, death, kidnapping, or substantial bodily harm.
Journalists who witness crimes also cannot refuse to share their eyewitness observations.
The House passed its verison of a Shield Law, 398 to 21.
From Mark Briggs, Assistant Managing Editor for Interactive News at The News Tribune in Tacoma, WA, whose blog, Journalism 2.0, is a 'must read'.
We have decades and decades invested in doing things based on old rules. Now, the rules have changed, and newsrooms need to change as well. We need new attitudes and new cultures. This will only happen if individual journalists put forward the effort to change their minds about what their jobs are and how they do them. Here are twelve things journalists can do to help us recreate journalism for the 21st Century.
Become a blogger
By this, I don't necessarily mean "start a blog," but that is never a bad idea. More importantly, become an avid blog reader. Blogs should be a daily routine for every dedicated journalist. They should read every blog related to their beats. They should read blogs about their own interests and hobbies. They should read blogs about their profession. To get blogging is to get how things have changed.
Become a producer
Pick up a digital recorder, a point-and-shoot camera or a video camera and start producing content beyond text. Do this as part of your job, fine, or do it on your personal time. The goal is to understand DIY. Post stuff on YouTube, Flickr or any number of other UGC sites.
Participate
As you read blogs, leave comments. If your newspaper.com has comments on stories, read the comments and add your own. Become known as somebody who converses on the Internet.
Build a web site
It will greatly expand your mind about how the web works if you go a bit beyond just setting up an account on Blogger or WordPress. Learn a little HTML. Better yet, learn some PHP, Cold Fusion, JavaScript or other web development language. You should own your own domain, anyway.
Become web literate
You should know what Flash is, and how it differs from AJAX. You should know the meaning of things like HTML, RSS, XML, IP, HTTP and FTP. You should understand at least how people use applications and tools to build web sites. You should know the potential and the limitations of each.
Use RSS
You need an RSS reader and lots of RSS feeds to consume. This will help you better understand distributed media.
Shop online
Part of your goal is to become immersed in the digital lifestyle. You will learn stuff about the digital life if you shop on Amazon, Ebay and other ecommerce sites. As you do, think about how these sites work and why they're set up as they are.
Buy mobile devices
Get a video iPod. Get a smart phone (an iPhone, Treo, Helio Ocean or Nokia N-series are all good places to start). Learn about distributed, take-it with-you-anywhere content. Buy a laptop and tap into some free wi-fi while you're out and about. Learn what digital life is like when you're not shackled to a desktop machine.
Become an avid consumer of digital content
Watch videos on YouTube. Download video and audio podcasts (take them with you on your iPod). Visit the best newspaper sites in the world and watch what they're doing. Turn on your TV less and your computer more.
Be a learner
Technology and culture is changing fast. You can't keep up unless you're dedicated to learning. I love this quote from Eric Hoffer because it is so appropriate to what our industry is going through now: "In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves beautifully equipped to live in a world that no longer exists."
Talk about what you're learning with your co-workers.
Be a change agent
Get other journalists excited about the new digital communication/media tools.
Don't wait
...for a boss to tell you to become a learner and an explorer. Your job is just where you collect your paycheck. You career is what you do. Your boss isn't responsible for your career. You are. Solely. Don't wait on others to make changes. Start making changes now for your own benefit. It's great if your employer benefits from your growth, but you will benefit more.
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