The Skyline Journalism Department considers all Journalism
120 students as members: that also goes for 110 students and of course the
staff working on The Skyline View itself. We can all write stories with hopes
of eventually getting them published in the paper. We can do everything a big
city paper can do, we write opinion pieces, feature, news and sports articles,
but there is one tool that we are not afforded as student journalists—we are
not issued press credentials.
Possessing press credentials or passes can get you behind
the scenes and right to the meat of the story, but student journalists find it
hard to get approved for one.
Recently, a sexual assault occurred on Skyline’s campus and
it was a member of The Skyline View staff that broke the story via Twitter, but
when the student journalist was trying to obtain more information from the San
Bruno Police, he was turned away because of his lack of credentials. The
newspaper’s faculty adviser, Nancy Kaplan-Biegel, was even on the phone with
the San Bruno Police testifying to authenticity of the reporter…to no avail.
This was The Skyline View’s story, and our newspaper had to
sit on its hands and wait for “legitimate” news agencies expand on the story.
I really have no point here other than this just being a sad
tale.
Press Credentials are needed for any type of journalist, i can understand the frustration that comes with not being taken seriously. I believe Nancy would gladly distribute a press pass to any that need it, just ask.
ReplyDeletePress passes could be Difference between writing a great story and writing a mediocre article. Even a subject pertaining to skyline students was restricted because our writers don't have the "credentials". I guess a press pass is the difference maker when a story breaks.
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