Comments

jp wrote on Oct 13, 2009 12:41 PM:

" i'd cave the photographers head in, but that's just the way i roll! "




in wasilla wrote on Oct 13, 2009 10:58 AM:

" Sometimes when reading ANY article that is printed I cannot help but to envision "Big Brother"....seems like the newsprint is following the lead of the book "1984".

We all know how the media twists the facts. "




Eic wrote on Oct 13, 2009 7:25 AM:

" With everything else being said, I think people need to congratulate the young lady for her finish. Regardless of whether she placed or not, she completed something that the vast majority of people could not do. And she was not at 100%. Everyone else can debate, I do not care. She must have ran because she loves the sport. My hope is for her speedy recovery plus hope that she will have further opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. "




g_samsa wrote on Oct 10, 2009 7:43 PM:

" You can't have partial freedom of speech. The fact is, whether it's comfortable or not, the girl's collapse is newsworthy. It raises many questions. Was she fit to run? How was this determined? Why did it take so long for help to arrive? We don't "like" all the stories in the news -- some reporters don't even like covering them. Mr. Swalley says, " ... don't bite the hand that feeds you," about journalists. This couldn't be more wrong. We count on journalists to bite every hand equally, it's how democracy is maintained. "




Mick Orlosky wrote on Oct 10, 2009 7:12 PM:

" Your concept of "ethics" in the title of this piece shows what has happened to journalism. The human story is news. You advocate celebrating the gifted victors, while ignoring the struggle of people who compete for the sake of competition. That's not journalism, that's propaganda. You advocate only printing photos that adhere to a scripted reality and hiding anything that doesn't match that script. That's not journalism.

I'm sad that reporting true events are now considered bad form by you and others like you. Ethics? I hope you rethink your position. "




Sheesh wrote on Oct 10, 2009 9:50 AM:

" It actually took 45 minutes for HELP to arrive? That in its self should be a story......come on media how about writing about things that are really important. "




To C Bingham wrote on Oct 10, 2009 9:47 AM:

" Oh, the poor poor media. I do not have one bone in my body that has any compassion for you. The media is out there to put a "spin" on reality. The media controls elections and the thought process of Americans. Go to Hades Mr. Bingham. I do not feel sorry for you. So quit covering the stories. Big deal. The kids and parents will still know who the winners are. "




Lee wrote on Oct 9, 2009 9:06 AM:

" My heart goes out to the Francis family; it must have been gut wrenching to realize there was no on site medical personnel on hand and having to wait once 911 was called. 45 minutes of angst until help arrived. "




Mae wrote on Oct 9, 2009 8:55 AM:

" there were not medical facilities set up on site; the medical help that was there immediately were either parents of runners or spectators.

a huge oversite on the part of the events managers! "




Ross Timm wrote on Oct 8, 2009 2:13 PM:

" truth is many parents/spouses would ask that many news worthy photos (that of course is subjective) not be "aired"- name the news or sports situation and somebody does not want their face shown, for whatever reason. The student was participating in a public forum. Fact is this event would have never lasted more than a second in even the state AP media focus, and now, simply because of the father and Mr. Winter's overreaction, it has been blown way bigger than it would have been "




Kort wrote on Oct 8, 2009 12:50 PM:

" If he wanted privacy for his daughter, he should have kept her HOME rather than letting her run in a public meet on public property. The suggestion that criminals or public figures, or anyone, are "less worthy" of privacy than anyone else in a public place is ludicrous!

Athletes CHOOSE to participate in sports, choosing to put themselves in the spotlight. I bet daddy wouldn't have cared if the guy took pictures when she won 4 straight.

The fact that she collapsed and didn't even make the top 10 IS the biggest story of the meet. "




CBingham wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:55 AM:

" By the way, if Palmer High School decides to bar the Associated Press from covering high school events at the school, then Palmer should be barred from hosting state championship events. Having worked as a sports editor at many newspapers around the state, most papers don't have the travel budget to send a reporter to the event. We rely on the Associated Press to get us photos of our local athletes. If the AP doesn't have access, then we don't have access. Therefore, if AP is banned, then the school should not be allowed to host state events. "




CBingham wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:52 AM:

" As a former sports editor, I side with the AP on this one. This was a statewide story (a three-time state champion collapsed in her bid to become a rare four-time state champ) and it was on public property. When athletes go out for teams, it means they should expect coverage when they win and when they lose, it doesn't go one way. Also, these are extracurricular activities which mean the athletes participate by choice and it isn't part of the compulsory education laws (that's the same reason schools can drug-test athletes but can't drug-test the entire student body). "




Renee wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:00 AM:

" I'll be standing right next to you! The AP are nothing but tabloid mongers. First they go against the wishes of a soldiers family not to publish pictures of his last moments alive, going against even other journalist values. Now they are going to publish the pain of a young girl under the age of 18 against her families wishes. I say enough is enough. SHAME ON AP! "




To Scott Christiansen wrote on Oct 7, 2009 9:17 PM:

" Scott you were not there either. I read the Press piece and you seem more concerned with the banning of media than Mr Dinneen's actions. It didn't matter that it is a news story nor did it matter that he took the photos. What does matter is that his attitude toward officials and parents was unprofessional. Plain and simple. He obviously had his photos and I bet he has a zoom lens and could have shot from a distance. But instead he decided to be a juvenile and cause a scene. Thus giving media a bad name. "




Scott Christiansen wrote on Oct 7, 2009 7:43 PM:

" Mr. Winter did not witness any of these events, despite the column reading as if it were a first-hand account.

Also, the "number of journalists" he spoke with: two.

For a look at the AP's response, vists Anchorage Press using the link up top.

Regards,

SC

Oh yeah, Go moose. "




First amendment dude wrote on Oct 7, 2009 5:58 PM:

" He writes: "(and it is my understanding that they are on the AP wire — however that system works)"
 
Acknowledging ignorance of how the AP wire works while trying to make an argument that the photos shouldn't be published seriously weakens his position. It's not a secret how the AP wire works. All he had to do was call AP and ask. Apparently he's not a very resourceful man. "




Jason Swalley wrote on Oct 7, 2009 10:09 AM:

" Mr. Winter,
Thank you for you letter. I love to see our kids in the local paper. The sports photos are great but there seems to be a different mentality between our local community reporters and the big national media types like AP and Mr Dinneen. Mr Dinneen and even the ADN to some extent could learn a thing or two about community journalism and the old saying don't bite the hand that feeds you. "




Wolfgang Winter wrote on Oct 7, 2009 7:13 AM:

" I have Mr. Dinneen's first name wrong in my letter -- his name is Mike, not Matt. I apologize. "




Jason Meyer wrote on Oct 6, 2009 11:53 PM:

" Actually Mrs Resz your wrong. The principal at any time can trespass or keep someone from being on school grounds if they feel that the person might be disruptive. Secondly the AP photographer only owns the right to publish the images for news related coverage and really only if the kid is 18. If the young lady in question is under 18 the photographer and the AP could have serious problems. Granted kids playing sports and being published usually is not a problem but if a parent requests the images not be published the photographer should oblige. "




Heather Resz wrote on Oct 6, 2009 4:41 PM:

" Mr. Winter;
First, you have the photographer's name wrong. Perhaps fact checking on your end is in order.
Second, there is the matter of the law. Does any person at an ASAA event have a reasonable expectation of privacy? If not, than the photographer is within his rights to shoot the image and sell it. He owns the copyright bylaw.
Third, as the school as public property, I doubt it is legal to ban the AP from being present and taking photos without some sort of legal wrongdoing. "




Borough Taxpayer wrote on Oct 6, 2009 4:10 PM:

" What a great feeling to finally find someone who cares about the real things in life, you should be rewarded for showing such human feelings, and doing so in the manner in which you acted! The school district is really fortunate to have you on staff. "




Rhonda wrote on Oct 6, 2009 2:00 PM:

" Sadly I'm not surprised. John Adams stated "The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virture, and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure, than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government but they will not obtain a lasting liberty." I'd say he was pretty prophetic. The first amendment is a law that was written by our forefathers with the expectation that citizens would be guided in their hearts & actions by a moral and virtuous foundation. "




Teri wrote on Oct 6, 2009 1:31 PM:

" I will stand with you!! Good job...someone who protects children instead of exploiting them "




agileglacier wrote on Oct 6, 2009 12:42 PM:

" You're being irrational. "