Publisher Doug Davis decided to run for Lamar City Council and was elected, which created some logistical problems for the newspaper.
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Doug had covered City Council meetings and that was no longer feasible. I took over the beat and to his credit, Doug never looked over any of my articles until the story was in print. And though I am certain he was not always happy with the way I covered the council, he never complained.
For some reason that I do not recall, Doug also had to give up the other monthly meeting he covered, the Barton County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees.
I had a conflict the night the Board met, but at the time I had some young capable reporters who were able to handle all kinds of news coverage. One of those was a Missouri Southern student and he was the one I assigned to cover the hospital board.
After the first meeting, BCMH Administrator Elden Selves, a friend of Doug's, let Doug know he was not happy with the way the college student covered the board. . He had emphasized things the board did not want to have emphasized and Selves did not want him at the next meeting. Doug chalked it up to the reporter's youth and said he was not ready for that kind of assignment.
I talked over the situation with the reporter, who showed me his notes and I could find nothing in the story that was inaccurate. For the most part, the things the reporter emphasized were the same ones I would have emphasized if it had been my assignment.
Nevertheless, the next time the Barton County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees met, a different reporter covered the meeting.
We allowed the hospital administrator to determine who covered a public meeting and allowed him to influence our editorial decisions.
It was wrong then and it is wrong now.
That is why I have been so irritated the past few days since the dustup between President Trump and CNN reporter Jim Acosta.
Acosta is brash, irritating and his style is not something I would ever consider trying. At the same time, he is an excellent reporter, albeit one with an attitude. He reminds me a lot of former ABC White House reporter Sam Donaldson who irritated President Reagan in the 1980s.
Fortunately, Reagan understood the importance of the First Amendment and a free press, something that seems beyond our current president. Neither he nor anyone who worked for him would have ever thought of pressuring ABC to pull Donaldson off the White House beat.
I have heard Trump supporters who say that CNN can send other reporters to cover the White House briefings and the president's press conferences.
Sorry, that is not how freedom of the press works. Certainly, a reporter can have his or her credentials revoked for outrageous behavior.
Acosta's behavior, while again not my cup of tea, did not rise to that level. If the President does not to want to answer questions from Acosta, all he had to do was call on any of the other 100 or so reporters who cover White House press conferences.
Neither Donald Trump, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, nor anyone else should decide which CNN reporters can cover a press conference any more than Elden Selves should have been able to tell the Lamar Democrat which reporter should cover the Barton County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees meeting.
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A little additional information:
The confrontation with the president does not seem to have had much of an effect on Acosta, which should come as no surprise to anyone.
Nor did the decision to remove the reporter from the hospital board have a negative effect on his career.
The reporter transferred from MSSU to the University of Missouri School of Journalism. I worked with him again, beginning in 1991 when he was hired at the Carthage Press. During the next several years, he earned numerous awards for reporting and photography before he left journalism to try something new.
At the job he holds now, Jasper County Sheriff Randee Kaiser takes just as much pride in getting things right as he did when he covered that hospital board meeting three decades ago.
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My new book, Newton County Memories, is available locally at Always Buying Books and Changing Hands Book Shoppe in Joplin, Pat's Books in Carthage and Granby Auto Supply and Hardware. It can also be purchased at Amazon at the link below.
23 comments:
Acistas behavior does raise yo level of being removed. In fact he is a threat to the young staffers, sndvdhould have been arrested for assault and battery to that young lady. Trump with no political correctness put him in his place,
One final point: he is rude to the other reporters who are there to ad legitimate ( and tough) questions. The WH is going to post tulesvf decorum for these ifiots in a press conference.
President Trump is the most transparent Predident since Harry Truman; he answers anybody right under the hrlicoptetJerkbAvista just wants to grandstand.
Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice and text
Certainly, a reporter can have his or her credentials revoked for outrageous behavior. And here is where your opinion and that of the President of the United states differ. And since he thought the behavior was outrageous and only banned him from the press conference. He certainly was able to watch the happenings and report. The President never stopped him from reporting, like the 100 deaths of Mexican journalists over the past year. They were stopped.
Acosta is a rude, arrogant person, unfit for his job. Being a reporter requires some decorum, as well as some journalistic skills. Being a jerk should end anyone's job if they have to work with people. That intern's father should belt him in the mouth.
I am often irritated with our current President's unwillingness to give a straight answer to a direct question. It is important that the American free press hold the President accountable for egregious remarks such as casting a caravan of refugees as "invaders." When the President begins a conversation with a reporter by insulting his employer, he should expect to get as good as he gives. And finally, the intern was not injured in any way by Mr. Acosta. Watch the version of the video with sound, and you'll see what really happened. How frightening it is that our own government would alter video footage to serve its own ends!
Trump had every right to kick Acosta out of the WH press corp. Lame judges let him back in. I bet if he mouthed off at them in their courtroom, he would be more than just kicked out. He would be held in contempt and jailed.
There are two sets of rules now, one for Trump and one for all liberals.
They hate Trump because he is logical and sincere. He isn't there to win friends. He is there to Make America Great Again and do what is right for American citizens. He cares about this country.
Yes, the White House press corps should be required to be just as well-mannered as the man they cover.
(To the humor-challenged, this is sarcasm)
To those of you claiming Acosta assaulted anyone, try watching the original video, no the Whitehouses edited video.
It doesn't matter your opinions on Acosta, Trump initiated the poor behavior.
Also, dude, Trump is "logical and sincere"? How much lead paint are you eating?
The Preisdent, like anyone, has the right to defend himself. Since before he was elected the press has hounded and belittled him at every turn. Has he brought SOME of it on himself? Absolutely. But when the press is unable to say even marginally positive things about a person in his position, they are as much to blame for the tension and discourse. Furthermore, the press has the job of reporting the news not making themselves a part of the news which is exactly what Acosta has done. He isnt a reporter any longer, he is a commentator and entertainer.
I've seen both versions of the video and I really cannot tell a difference. The bottom line is, Acosta brought his hand down on the girl's arm therefore constituting assault. The only thing that is in question is the speed at which this was done. He still put his hands on a female to push her arm away from the microphone which is totally and completely out of line and he should be removed permanently. I don't understand how anyone can defend his actions.
Y'all are aware, right?, that your beloved Fox News stood with CNN in supporting Acosta's right to press credentials? https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/fox-news-stands-with-cnn-passes-for-working-white-house-journalists-should-never-be-weaponized
How about just ignoring Trump's Press Conferences in the future. As of January, Trump will become a nonentity so what he says or does will be of no consequence to any of us. I do not know or care whether he will be impeached, removed by Amendment or killed but I will bet the farm he will not serve out his complete term.
I thought the girl seemed a little bit aggressive in trying to take the mic.
Acosta will have to be watched by an armed officer the entire time he is in the White House. He is a threat to the staff; especially young female ones.
That is clear in the video.
Her father should take him behind the woodshed, and have the Sonic guy who belted Randy Turner come along and work him over real good
Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text
Hahaha
Someone in the White House has a history of grabbing women... and it's not Acosta.
What makes you think I love FOX News? If a person is free thinking and not some partisan hack, like yourself, they realize that all major news outlets are biased. Not just FOX. Not just CNN. They are all echo chambers that rile up the lemmings, like you. If you point a finger at FOX it doesnt make you smart, it makes you a person unwilling to admit that you like CNN or MSNBC because they say what you like. What FOX News did or didnt do matters not to me.
2:40 is obviously a rational human being. Nothing creepy or crazy about that comment.
Who is it?
12:02, my comment was not directed at you, since I have no idea which of the brave anonymouses you are. I get you all confused because, well, you're afraid to come out of the shadows. It was a general comment toward CNN haters, who tend to approve of Fox News. As for being a lemming, I have too much experience with politics and with life to be anyone's blind-faith groupie. The point was, and still is, that if people want to blast CNN, they have to admit that Fox took CNN's side against the White House. The world isn't as black-and-white as they think. That's a valuable lesson to learn.
Oh, the "you are scared to tell us your name" shtick... I just post anonymously to get under Harvey's skin. (And yours too, apparently.)
You missed the point, that it doesn't matter what FOX or CNN says. They both have to defend reporters in order to keep their access. If one's access is cutoff it opens the door for the other to have its access blocked.
Besides FOX needs CNN just like CNN needs FOX. I would say they are different sides of the same coin, but I doubt they are truly on different sides.
Not under my skin 5:39; you can be the coward of the county as long as you wish,
Try an anonymous letter to the Joplin Globe or any of the broadcast facilities in the area
Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text
Harv, just because I see that stunning picture of you and I know your name and I have your phone number doesn't mean that I put anymore weight in your opinions than I do any of these anonymous posters on here. You want to act like it makes you brave to throw your name out there when commenting on a local blog as you express your opinions (many of which I agree with by the way)? Your name and phone number dont make you brave. Throw your social security number out there. And date of birth. Hell, Harv, show us all how you aren't a coward. Put your bank routing number out there. Name and phone number and Glamourshot ain't brave.
Thanks Harvey!
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