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fight_truth_decay Protest Interrupts Local Broadcasts 1/6/2005 6:45 PM (WROC-TV Rochester) CBS The Thursday afternoon edition of News 8 Now At Noon was interrupted by p rotestors. The interruption occured as reporter Elizabeth Harness broadc ast live the story of the Highland Hospital power outage. The group claimed to be a local media watchdog organization. But the grou p may be nothing more than pranksters intent on interrupting local news coverage. Three men in costume -- one wearing a flesh-toned body suit, labeled "inv isible suit," interrupted Harness's live report. The man in the invisible suit jumped up and down behind the reporter, whi le two others approached Harness, pushing her into the side of the broad cast truck, shouting at her "What's the mood at the hospital today?"
The public did not see the assault, as video of the power outage was roll ing by that time. Minutes later, hospital security and the Rochester Police Department deta ined the three men for several hours. All are from Rochester, and claim to be part of a non-violent media watchdog group. However, when confronted and asked to give more about their organization, and why they wear masks, they provided no answers. According to police, the trio asked for representation by the American Ci vil Liberties Union. The trio remained unclear as to what sort of gripe they have with local m edia.
video WROC Channel 8 in Rochester, NY doesn't want you to see!" CBS affiliate WROC Channel 8 in Rochester, NY published a story on its we bsite January 6, 2005 accusing a member of NEWSBREAKERS of assault. A po lice investigation relied on video of the incident to exonerate NEWSBREA KERS. The video reveals that the WROC reporter instead pushed NEWSBREAKE RS senior political correspondent Buck Owens. Members of the group were detained for more than one hour and eventially released after producing the videotaped evidence. Police indicated that a harassment charge could be brought against Owens at a later date for " startling" the WROC reporter.
Group Liberates Live Television Events, Launches 'New Chapter in Media Cr iticism' (Rochester, NY) - January 6, 2005 - The media watchdog group NEWSBREAKERS freed two live broadcasts today, one from CBS affiliate WROC Channel 8 and the other from NBC affiliate WHEC Channel 10. The group temporarily reclaimed the airwaves in the name of the American people in protest of the wholesale failure of Federal Communications Com mission licensees to honor their obligation to the public.
htm "As citizens in a participatory democracy, we can no longer idly standby and let our government offer the airwaves, our common property, to the h ighest bidder," NEWSBREAKERS senior political correspondent Buck Owens s aid. We are putti ng television news on notice: We're out here, we're watching and we ain' t happy with what we see." The group attempted to provide the television news employees on the scene with copies of the Constitution of the United States. "The gift would have served as a reminder that the guarantees outlined in that document are bestowed upon journalists not by corporate leadership , advertisers, government bureaus, ratings agencies or the lecture circu it, but by We the People of the United States," Owens said. Security personal detained NEWSBREAKERS members before they were able to offer the employees of the television stations the copies of the Constit ution. A police investigation found no wrong doing on the part of NEWSBR EAKERS. An investigat ing officer said that one of the news employees was "startled" by the ev ent. NEWSBREAKERS is a nonpartisan, nonviolent media watchdog group dedicated to the improvement of journalism. It offers comment and critique on the role of television news in informing the public. The group relies on par ody and non-traditional media interventions. org "If you've got a soft spot for perfectly-coifed television types, you'll hate these guys."
two others approached Harness, pushing her into the side of the broadc ast truck, shouting at her "What's the mood at the hospital today?" Reporter, Elizabeth Harness, responded "It seems to be getting a little s urly."
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay These NEWSBREAKERS guys are pranksters who took up valuable air time duri ng which WROC could have brought you important news and information. So now, instead of bringing you, the viewer, important news and information , WROC is bringing you the story of pranksters who took up valuable air time during which WROC could have brought you... Are they willing to do some live reporting from Florida? I love the live shots we get here, like, "We have just arrived on the scene.
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay The video reveals that the WROC reporter instead pushed NEWSBREAKERS This, buried in the story, after it's categorically stated 2X that the re porter was assaulted! Now I think they could probably be less cryptic in their remarks to be mo re effective - I'm reminded of "what's the frequency, Kenneth" ....
According to police, the trio asked for representation by the American Ci vil Liberties Union. Sheesh if the ACLU will support NAMBLA but wants nothing to do with these guys they must be low lifes.
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay They aren't "protesting" in the sense that you can tell what it is they a re against during the protest. There is a question about how they know when and where to show up for the ir antics.
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay As citizens in a participatory democracy, we can no longer idly standby a nd let our government offer the airwaves, our common property, to the hi ghest bidder," NEWSBREAKERS senior political correspondent Buck Owens sa id.
View Replies To: SandRat According to police, the trio asked for representation by the American Ci vil Liberties Union. but wants nothing to do with these guys they must be low lifes.
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay >Police indicated that a harassment charge could be brought against Owens at a later date for "startling" the WROC reporter Wow. Just imagine what will happen to Freepers for the stuff we said we'd like to happen to Dan Rather!
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay I watched three videos from your links in #1. They're idiots but I didn't see them push her into the side of the van. She freaked out a bit and m oved sideways towards the van.
View Replies To: fight_truth_decay I view this more as harrasment than a legitmate "protest". If it keeps ha ppening I believe we'll see these guys get their asses kicked on the 11: 00 news.
View Replies To: 1john2 3and4 I don't have broadband, so I will not take time to view the video. Are you saying that these weirdo's did NOT actually push the reporter as stated in the article, or are you saying the reported pushed back eventu ally after being pushed by the weirdos?
View Replies To: irv >The local media types think they're just nutjobs What exactly does the media "think" about Freepers? Just because they say someone's nuts doesn't make it so.
View Replies To: TigersEye They're idiots but I didn't see them push her into the side of the van. S he freaked out a bit and moved sideways towards the van. You say they didn't actually push her physically into the van, perhaps t hey crowded her then? I don't have the bandwidth to download the videos, sorry for the question s for the dial up perspective.
View Replies To: LowOiL Are you saying that these weirdo's did NOT actually push the reporter as stated in the article, or are you saying the reported pushed back eventu ally after being pushed by the weirdos? They never pushed her - the guy came up and pushed a microphone in her fa ce and said "What's the mood at the hospital?" Basically the same thing that local news reporterettes like this chick have been doingfor decades , but she was obviously a bit startled to have the tables turned - she r eached out and gave him a very gentle push to basically keep the guy at arm's-length. He (the protester) never touched her at all - the only con tact between the two was the push she gave him, which was not what I wou ld call a hard shove.
And no, I wouldn't be surprised that the charges were dr opped. If these idiot dw...
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