Madison Catholic Bishop Robert Morlino halted a public speech Wednesday night at UW-Platteville and switched the venue to a Catholic student center after a reporter in the audience refused to leave.Read more: http://host.madison.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/religion/in-the-spirit-bishop-robert-morlino-halts-speech-changes-venue/article_3de51d46-7d92-58ad-b048-ba596d92cdaf.html#ixzz3JiTNc49R
The bishop's action followed the appearance at the event of nine protesters opposed to his leadership. They demonstrated with signs outside Doudna Hall, the site of the lecture, and some filed into the hall to hear Morlino speak.
During the opening minutes of the talk -- titled "Why Does Evil Exist?" -- Morlino asked that no unauthorized photos be taken or recordings made after hearing the clicks of a camera, said Brent King, a spokesman for the Madison Catholic Diocese, which includes Platteville.
This is not a request Morlino typically makes, King said, but he felt it was necessary because he was aware of people in the audience with an apparent desire to stir up controversy. Also, the reporter in attendance, later identified as Steve Prestegard, editor of the Platteville Journal, was taking photos, which the bishop found distracting, King said.
Erickson does a great job on this article. Definitely go read the rest of the story there. There's a long, emotional history in Platteville. I've seen reporters get belligerent at other events; they are an emotional group. Some say elitist, well maybe, probably more so at the editor level. I tend to think it's more that they get passionate about stuff and it can make them unreasonable. The best reporters are those who can find a balance and report with a clear head. It's not easy, I know. I have a lot to learn in that regard.
The takeaway for the students attending the event (hint: it's not exactly increasing confidence in the reporting capabilities of the Platteville Journal).
UW-Platteville senior Lucas Klosiewski, 22, secretary of the Catholic student center, said Morlino was right to be wary of the press.If the Platteville Journal does issue an apology, let me know and I'll post it. I won't hold my breath though.
"I think most of the people in the audience were students, and we were there to learn," he said. "The reporter added kind of a negative vibe. It's pretty commonly known that the media can really talk negatively about certain things."
18 comments:
Here is a tip to the journalist wannabes: Don't assume the intentions of the reporter/editor were negative before doing some research on past stories he has written about diocesan events.
Oh my God, A reporter was taking pictures! Oh my heavens No! How disruptive, how profane! Can you imagine a great reporter like Edward R Murrow doing something so dastardly? That is so evil, did he also ask probing questions meant to seek truth? Oh my god, I can't believe that courageous priest was able to survive that onslaught of horrific abuse. That reporter should be jailed for life, its not like we have any kind of specific rights in the USA that protect freedom of the press. Right?
Yes good idea: Be wary of the press. All they do is stir up trouble like tell us the IRS is targeting conservatives, revealing that the Obamacare web site doesn't work, reporting that WMD -- the pretext for going into war in Iraq -- didn't exist, reporting on problems with Gruber and Benghazi and Beau Bergdahl, the VA, the NSA, the Secret Service...
Seriously, don't shoot the messenger. We're lucky to have a free and vigorous press. What does Bishop Morlino have to hide?
P.S. The Platteville Journal is an award-winning paper and the editor is a man of deep faith and integrity. I don't live within 60 miles of Platteville or Madison, but the newspaper has a reputation statewide of being fair and balanced.
If it's not a secret, could you tell us the rest of the story?
The rest of what story?
We no longer have an intelligent and effective press. The media, for the most part has taken partisan and biased positions on most issues. Some because of pressure from the government nepotism (Ben and David Rhodes, brothers; one is head of CBS News and one is an advisor to the president); "reporters" are afraid of the government when their phone records are seized and examined and pressure is brought on their bosses from the White House and other agencies.
On the local level, the press is just as biased because they read all the big boys (NY Times, Time, etc.) and think they have to act the way the others do - lack of individual thought.
Many local guys bring their biases with them and, since they are mainly libs from "J schools, realize that the Caholic Church must be destroyed or marginalized because if it speaks the truth always, their liberalism will be seen as built on mendacity and ideologies.
The local media, who feel like big men on a small campus, cannot let that happen.
The truth must be destroyed.
Exactly...he is a fair and hard-working reporter/editor. He was tipped off by the protesters to attend the talk; he had no idea he was getting into any sort of bees' nest. The protesters wanted bad press for the bishop so wanted a reporter to be there to report that THEY were there protesting (he, however, was unaware of their evil scheme)... but even the protesters had no idea of how much "bad press" they were going to cause the bishop to give himself!
Apparently it is correct in this case, that there is no freedom of the press.
I agree that the Platteville Journal editor is "a man of deep faith & integrity." His tall stature and deep voice may be intimidating to those who don't know him, but he is a caring, honest, hard-working, family-oriented man. He was doing his job as a reporter. Morlino had no right to treat him with disrespect (or, may I say...in an evil way).
"If the Platteville Journal does issue an apology, let me know and I'll post it. I won't hold my breath though." Issue an apology? An APOLOGY?? For what? For doing his job?? Tell me again what he did wrong that would even hint at a need for an apology? What am I missing here? This whole thing is really messed up. The bishop's reaction...the comments in your November 21st post above...all more evidence of evil, which the bishop was going to talk about. It's all around us.
Your sarcastic remark it quite stupid and leads me to believe you are a reporter. Reporters, as we all know, are well known for distorting things, leaving things out, pressing their own agendas. They are one of the least respected professions in the country, and for good reason. The nonsenxical nature of your comment is illustrated by your suggestion that the reporter be jailed, which no on in real ife ever suggested,.
Obviously, if someone is trying to give a speech, and then someone in the audience keeps snapping picutres and creating a distraction, and if it is known that htis particular "reporter" (Activist is a better word) then it is only common courtesay that the reporter refrain from taking pictures. After all. he had already taken several. How many pictures did he need? It appears he was trying to cause a distraction.
yeah, no sale. He had already taken several pictures, how many did he need? Obviously he was there to disrupt the meeting and to cause a disturbance.
Thank you 12:50! The way it reads it appeared he was "in on it" so to speak.
Okay so I'm confused. Is it unreasonable to request reporters not to take photographs? I take pictures at all kinds of events and never ask permission, but if I was explicitly to not or to delete I would comply. Does a newspaper need permission to take and publish pictures of particular people or events? I don't understand it from a social side. Is it such an unreasonable request that refusal to comply even to the point of disrupting the event is in fact standard for this type of situation? I'm honestly trying to understand the situation.
Yes, reporters have nothing better to do than disrupt meetings. That's a foolish comment. They are human beings who have spouses, families and other outside interests that rank much higher than causing others grief. The editor was simply doing his job, respectfully. Please stop assigning a motive to a person you know nothing about.
Yes, it's unreasonable for a public person such as a Bishop to tell a photographer to stop taking photos so he care share them with the public. But even more egregious is the bishop's prohibition of "unauthorized recording" of his remarks. What does he fear? That someone might hold him accountable for his words? I find his arrogance and pomposity breathtaking.
Also, what were the nine protestors protesting? Does this still have to do with the parish getting a priest they didn't like or something?
Funny, that when a speaker requests no photos, for some reason, a reporter's mythical "rights' trump the speaker's. Why cant the report be content to just take notes. and take photos before or after the event...OBTW this is what occurs at many venues and is more the norm than what those whose panties are in wad imply. Get over it and stop attacking the Bishop over alleged free speech infringement, it was the Bishops free speech that was impinged upon, because it shows your bias.
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