No, this isn’t about Lester Young. It’s about journalism and, ultimately, your right to know.
In her blog, Christine Tatum, president of the Society of Professional Journalists, kindly links to Rifftides. The Rifftides staff is happy to reciprocate. Tatum tackles free press issues. Her present tirade is against the outlandish requirement of the National Football League that photojournalists covering its games on the sidelines wear official red vests bearing the logos of NFL sponsors Reebok, the shoe manufacturer, and Canon, the camera maker. She calls it a “rule so offensive to journalists and ethical journalism that I urge all SPJ members to complain about it.” And they do. You can read her critique and their comments at Tatum’s blog, Freedom of the Prez.
Uniforms for journalists? What’s next, licensing? Tatum discusses that, too.
If you think an unimpeded flow of information is vital to the survival of democracy, rummaging around in the Freedom of the Prez archives will be enlightening–and sometimes infuriating. She can be as tough on the news business and wayward journalists as she is on their enemies and detractors. If eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, I’m glad that Chris Tatum is on the ramparts.