"PAPD Media Spokesperson Lt. Sandra Brown Blacklisting Voice Mail
You be the judge. Back before the break-up of the Bell System in 1984 it was the view of many including the Federal Government that AT&T had in fact monopolized the nations telecommunication industry. Many emerging competitors were claiming foul play including MCI.
And so it was, Federal Court Judge Green in his historic decent decree, changed the way we would communicate forever more and the end to what many felt was an unfair monopoly of the telecommunication industry which ushered in an era of fair competition.
We equally claim foul play to an apparent clear cut violation of our First Amendment Right – Freedom of Press and fair competition by Palo Alto city attorney Donald Larkin and his unfair restrictions on what we should report and print on-line.
Furthermore, we never asked for special treatment or press credentials. Just fair competition and equal media access.
City Attorney Donald Larkin – Quote
“I understand your desire to receive special access to the Police Department as the “editor” of paloaltofreepress.com. Under the City’s policy, we are unable to provide you with such access.
To be clear, you have been denied press credentials because you are not a bona fide news reporter. As we discussed when you met with Sandra and me, a reporter is someone who provides regular, objective reporting of news events.
According to your website, its purpose is not to disseminate news, but “was created to have a place for residents of Palo Alto to discuss subjects pertinent to their community.”
In fact, it appears that paloaltofreepress.com contains few, if any, independently created news reports. Instead, it fulfills its advertised purpose of publishing opinion and editorial articles and community posts. While we respect your right to publish an editorial blog and/or a community forum, such publication does not entitle you to press credentials.”
The City of Palo Alto News Media Policy 346 mentions no restrictions or defines what can be published or for that matter defines printed media or – “bona fide” reporters or otherwise.
In fact, the city of Palo Alto and it’s council members have engaged in and sanctioned the discriminatory actions that of city attorney Donald Larkin against PaloAltoFreePress.com as a business in defiance of its own policies .
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