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Saturday, December 31, 2005

Gov't. - No press credentials, State of Kentucky tells bloggers

"No press credentials, state tells bloggers: NET COMMENTATORS WANT TO COVER '06 LEGISLATIVE SESSION" is the headline to this story in the Lexington Herald-Leader. Some quotes:

Computers in hand, Kentucky's small but growing flock of political Web log publishers will descend on Frankfort next week for the 2006 General Assembly.

But they won't join the ink-stained wretches of the press. State officials are telling the bloggers that they aren't journalists and can't get the press credentials that grant access to the House and Senate floors and Capitol entrances generally closed to the public.

This is irritating to a group that, by nature, tends to wake up cranky on the best of days. * * *

Mark Nickolas, who operates the liberal bluegrassreport.com, swiftly posted a critical essay about his denied credentials under the headline: "A Brave New World Hits The Old World Head-On."

Nickolas, a former Democratic campaign manager who lives in Bourbon County, agreed he's not an objective journalist. He regularly and cheerily insults Gov. Ernie Fletcher and other Republicans on his blog. But he also does original reporting about state government, digging into records and raising questions about politicians.

Nickolas said 2,000 to 3,000 people visit his Web site in a typical week.
"What are the standards going to be?" Nickolas asked. "Is it 'Do you reach an audience?' Well, I must reach as big an audience as some weekly newspapers."

Read Nicholas' observations here.

All of this and more is discussed in this entry this morning from the Kentucky Law Blog, an outstanding resource for Kentucky attorneys.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 31, 2005 10:17 AM
Posted to Indiana Government