UHFS doesn't like reporters...
My coworker, Brea Jones, is taking a wee bit of heat on The Orion website for--of all things--reporting.
After her story on the ninth-floor fire at Whitney Hall last night, some resident advisors have taken Brea's performance on writing the story to task. Among the things they're accusing her of are that she got into arguments with the RAs over her right to be in certain locations reporting the story and was overaggressive.
They might be getting away with saying these things too, if it weren't for the fact there was not one, but two Orion reporters there at the scene of the fire last night.
Give you one guess who the other one was.
Actually, come to think of it, there was Brea, myself, an editor who's going to be a photographer next semester taking photos, and three other photographers taking photos. So there was a pretty solid Orion crew out there.
Now, I wasn't with Brea the entire time she was there. I showed up much later than she did, and wound up doing a supporting role (making physical observations, listening to scanners, CQing names, checking weather, etc.) But did I observe her at times last night, and here are my thoughts.
UHFS personnel and RAs were put in the difficult task of having to attempt to get Whitney Hall residents to a safe location while the fire burned, which ultimatly ended up being on the opposite side of Warner Street and off Legion Avenue. But, they overstepped their bounds when they attempted to then push around the media in the same way. The press does have the right to be there. Brea wasn't the only reporter UHFS was attempting to boss around in such a manner. In the first example I saw of this, the media members were standing on the sidewalk of Legion Avenue--a public street.
It's also my opinion that UHFS personnel, in dealing with the media, did not any have any idea whatsoever about the rights and abilities of the press to be in the places that a regular spectator cannot. I imagine that wasn't really something that's covered when RAs and staff are trained for a situation like the one that happened last night.
At no point was Brea or any other reporter trespassing. Brea's also a student, and had the right to be on university walkways and university lawns that the police or fire departments had not blocked off. Warner Street was blocked off from the stadium parking lot entrance down to First Street to car traffic.
I can understand why UHFS might be frustrated with Brea's actions. She knew her rights (which they didn't) and she has the legal knowledge to defend them well (which she did). I really admire her for being willing to defend her legal rights in a highly volatile situation. But now that this fire has occured and these altercations (which weren't even that bad, IMHO) occured, UHFS can now add press interaction into RA and employee training so that in any future situations, staff and press will not wind up being so abrasive with one another.
I also want to commend UHFS for doing a solid job making sure all dormitory students were safe and unhurt. With that aspect of the job considered, and the headaches dorm students can cause (as a former dorm resident myself, both in junior college and at Chico State), they were a tremendous assest to the police and fire in what could have wound up being a very bad and tragic situation.
(*various grammar and clarification edits)
After her story on the ninth-floor fire at Whitney Hall last night, some resident advisors have taken Brea's performance on writing the story to task. Among the things they're accusing her of are that she got into arguments with the RAs over her right to be in certain locations reporting the story and was overaggressive.
They might be getting away with saying these things too, if it weren't for the fact there was not one, but two Orion reporters there at the scene of the fire last night.
Give you one guess who the other one was.
Actually, come to think of it, there was Brea, myself, an editor who's going to be a photographer next semester taking photos, and three other photographers taking photos. So there was a pretty solid Orion crew out there.
Now, I wasn't with Brea the entire time she was there. I showed up much later than she did, and wound up doing a supporting role (making physical observations, listening to scanners, CQing names, checking weather, etc.) But did I observe her at times last night, and here are my thoughts.
UHFS personnel and RAs were put in the difficult task of having to attempt to get Whitney Hall residents to a safe location while the fire burned, which ultimatly ended up being on the opposite side of Warner Street and off Legion Avenue. But, they overstepped their bounds when they attempted to then push around the media in the same way. The press does have the right to be there. Brea wasn't the only reporter UHFS was attempting to boss around in such a manner. In the first example I saw of this, the media members were standing on the sidewalk of Legion Avenue--a public street.
It's also my opinion that UHFS personnel, in dealing with the media, did not any have any idea whatsoever about the rights and abilities of the press to be in the places that a regular spectator cannot. I imagine that wasn't really something that's covered when RAs and staff are trained for a situation like the one that happened last night.
At no point was Brea or any other reporter trespassing. Brea's also a student, and had the right to be on university walkways and university lawns that the police or fire departments had not blocked off. Warner Street was blocked off from the stadium parking lot entrance down to First Street to car traffic.
I can understand why UHFS might be frustrated with Brea's actions. She knew her rights (which they didn't) and she has the legal knowledge to defend them well (which she did). I really admire her for being willing to defend her legal rights in a highly volatile situation. But now that this fire has occured and these altercations (which weren't even that bad, IMHO) occured, UHFS can now add press interaction into RA and employee training so that in any future situations, staff and press will not wind up being so abrasive with one another.
I also want to commend UHFS for doing a solid job making sure all dormitory students were safe and unhurt. With that aspect of the job considered, and the headaches dorm students can cause (as a former dorm resident myself, both in junior college and at Chico State), they were a tremendous assest to the police and fire in what could have wound up being a very bad and tragic situation.
(*various grammar and clarification edits)
Robert said this @ 8:21:00 PM
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