Friday, February 19, 2016

Jennifer Ditchburn on differences between Ottawa and Alberta press galleries

Excerpt from Jennifer Ditchburn's CP story:
"At the Alberta legislature, the press gallery does not control the comings and goings of visiting media.
"Reporters who are not permanent members show their ID to a security guard. By contrast, the parliamentary press gallery in Ottawa has an elaborate system of accreditation, even for day passes.
"Members must prove that their principal occupation is reporting, interpreting or editing parliamentary or federal government news, and that they work for an organization that reports on a regular basis on such news. "Rebel co-founder and freelancer Brian Lilley is a gallery member, as is rabble.ca reporter Karl Nerenberg.
"Federal governments, meanwhile, have carefully kept out of that business. "Even though the Speaker of the House of Commons holds ultimate authority over the precinct and its services, it has been a long-held convention that the press gallery operates independently."
The whole story

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