OCLA Rejects Application

OhioNews Bureau

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Contact: John Michael Spinelli, (614) 578-1237

January 10, 2008

Columbus, Ohio: ePluribus Media and the OhioNews Bureau, its pioneering outpost for state news bureaus, was dealt a blow Tuesday when the Ohio Legislative Correspondents Association (OLCA) rejected its request that three seasoned journalists be considered for active membership in the Ohio Statehouse press corps.

ePluribus Media launched the OhioNews Bureau in July 2007 as the first step towards building a network of citizen-journalism driven news and information services that will produce original reporting on statewide news from key 2008 political battleground states.

"We are disappointed, to say the least, that the Ohio commercial news media have decided to act as a closed shop, keeping from full legislative coverage those whose approach to news gathering and presentation differs from their own," said Aaron Barlow, a board member for ePluribus Media who has been actively involved with the project since early September when the request to OLCA was originated.

Barlow, author of The Rise of the Blogosphere, and Blogging @merica: The New Public Sphere, teaches Technical Writing, Journalism, and Composition at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York.

John Michael Spinelli, a former OLCA member who now serves as the OhioNews Bureau Chief, said the rejection of him and two other seasoned journalists, Timothy D. Smith and Anastasia Pantsios of Cleveland, while totally anticipated, represents a partial setback for the OhioNews Bureau, which provides the kind of reporting on important yet overlooked Ohio stories not generally found in mainstream media publications.

"Breaking down the walls of the status quo is not new to me," Spinelli said about the rejection response from OLCA that one of the group's former presidents, who had a chance to comment on it, characterized as "insulting."

Familiar with the internal politics and commercial agenda of several of the group's member from his years working in the Ohio Statehouse press room, Spinelli said the underlying message of the rejection notice was "don't rock the boat."

"But that's exactly what new-media, citizen-journalism oriented groups like ours are doing," he said. "We're every bit as accurate, forthright and professional as the faltering fat cats who still think they control what qualifies as news."

Spinelli observed that OLCA has its own ethic dilemma in that many of its members are employed by news groups who are members of the Ohio Newspaper Association (ONA), which lobbies the Ohio Legislature, when this is a direction violation of the group's constitution and bylaws.

Commenting on the accusation by OLCA board members that the work of ONB's three seasoned reporters was politically biased, Spinelli said that OLCA has no defined metrics for such determinations and that declarations, as a result, are conveniently made on a subjective basis. "Speaking truth to power," he said, "makes news- or law-makers uneasy; we will not shirk from the obligation to take all quarters, regardless of the expected blowback from our reporting."

As a point of fact, ePluribus Media in general and the OhioNews Bureau in particular are not members of the ONA, and are therefore not compromised in their reporting by any unspoken, self-interested agenda from the advertisers who keep legacy news rooms alive despite shrinking revenues. Nor are they beholden to the Ohio General Assembly, which butters the bread of many OLCA members and whose members would rather confront a compliant press than one with a clear commitment to presenting the truth.

ePluribus Media was established in 2005 as a 501(c) (4) cooperative of contributing writers and journalists. It is a virtual, national Website that has won recognition for its unique news products, called Timelines, which provide exhaustive news references about historic events like Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

Researchers at ePluribus Media also lead the field in tracking the tragic issue of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) arising from the war in Iraq. The organization has also broken important stories and produced unique coverage related to the targeting of Democrats by President Bush's Department of Justice and details related to various election irregularities, including the practice of vote caging.

National newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington Post and The LA Times have turned to ePluribus Media journalists and products on various occasions. So have nationally respected columnists like Paul Krugman and others who have recognized the valuable information that has come to light through ePluribus Media journalistic efforts.

Among other distinctions, ePluribus Media was accepted by the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism to participate in the Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Leadership Program, along with other well-recognized, well-funded news groups, to explore the emergence of new-media news and information.

ePluribus Media journalists have secured press credentials to cover US House committee meetings and to cover the National Conference on Media Reform and other newsworthy events that enabled its representatives to stand shoulder to shoulder with reporters from other mainstream media organizations.

OLCA was created by the Ohio General Assembly in 1893 to accredit statehouse reporters. Currently, its membership consists of 42 reporters representing 21 news organizations.

To read the OhioNews Bureau story on OLCA's rejection of our reporters, paste the following link into your browser's URL: http://discuss.epluribusmedia.net/node/453 How to reach The OhioNews Bureau: Email: ohionews@epluribusmedia.org Fax: 1-413-410-9064 Phone: 614-578-1237 http://discuss.epluribusmedia.net/ http://thejournal.epluribusmedia.net ePluribusMedia is a chartered 501(c)(4) corporation started in January of 2005 and staffed by a cooperative of citizen volunteers dedicated to researching issues of common concern and encouraging the highest standards of ethics and journalism.