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Sports Association's Attempt to Control the News

News organizations are beginning to fight back against the absurd and arrogant demands of sports leagues and entertainment conglomerates (often the same entities, in my view). As the Honolulu Star Bulletin notes today, it’s not publishing pictures from the pro golfing tournament being held in its backyard.

“The organization wants control over all stories and photographs that come out of its events,” the paper explains.

I recently spoke on a panel held by the American Bar Association on this topic, and offered some advice — largely unheeded, but then I was representing journalists and others who aren’t impressed with the sports industry’s controlling desires.

I hope the Hawaii newspaper encourages golf fans attending the event to take their own pictures and post them, say, on Flickr, and then points to the pictures from its website. Even better, the paper should simply refuse to cover the event at all.

Meanwhile, taking a stand is exactly the right thing to do.

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