Posted on 01/08/2005 7:29:26 AM PST by 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 protestors. The interruption occured as reporter Elizabeth Harness broadcast live the story of the Highland Hospital power outage.
The group claimed to be a local media watchdog organization. But the group may be nothing more than pranksters intent on interrupting local news coverage.
Three men in costume -- one wearing a flesh-toned body suit, labeled "invisible suit," interrupted Harness's live report.
The man in the invisible suit jumped up and down behind the reporter, while two others approached Harness, pushing her into the side of the broadcast 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 rolling by that time.
Minutes later, hospital security and the Rochester Police Department detained 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 Civil Liberties Union. The A.C.L.U. said it wanted nothing to do with them.
The trio remained unclear as to what sort of gripe they have with local media.
NewBreakers, When News Breaks We Bust It, posted on their web site: "The video WROC Channel 8 in Rochester, NY doesn't want you to see!" claims NewsBreakers.
CBS affiliate WROC Channel 8 in Rochester, NY published a story on its website January 6, 2005 accusing a member of NEWSBREAKERS of assault. A police investigation relied on video of the incident to exonerate NEWSBREAKERS. The video reveals that the WROC reporter instead pushed NEWSBREAKERS 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. A story in Rochester's Democrat and Chronicle (Jan.7,2005) recounted a similar version of the assualt claim made by WROC management.
Group Liberates Live Television Events, Launches 'New Chapter in Media Criticism'
(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 Commission licensees to honor their obligation to the public.
Video of the liberation event is available at http://www.newsbreakers.org/video.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 highest bidder," NEWSBREAKERS senior political correspondent Buck Owens said. "Today's event marks a new chapter in media criticism. We are putting 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 circuit, 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 Constitution. A police investigation found no wrong doing on the part of NEWSBREAKERS. Members of the group were released without charge. An investigating officer said that one of the news employees was "startled" by the event.
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 parody and non-traditional media interventions.
The group is currently planning future events.
Contact: (212) 931-8548 or e-mail to: questions@newsbreakers.org
"If you've got a soft spot for perfectly-coifed television types, you'll hate these guys."
-Ann Coulter
The corporations are stealing the airwaves from the people, NEWSBREAKERS is stealing them back."
-Ralph Nader
marking
Idiots.
Rather lame....
Reporter, Elizabeth Harness, responded "It seems to be getting a little surly."
Bwhahahahahahaha!!
They look like an old WWF Tag team from the 1980's!
What a bunch of jokers. Id just have a very large man near with a bat... smacking it on his hands, in plain view of these idiots. I think that would make them think twice. My camera man would have a sign on his back "When the bat comes out, the camera goes off".
...watch the video..as the police did to make their call.
I think it's kind of funny.
This, buried in the story, after it's categorically stated 2X that the reporter was assaulted! (in the beginning of the report)!
Now I think they could probably be less cryptic in their remarks to be more effective - I'm reminded of "what's the frequency, Kenneth" ....
According to police, the trio asked for representation by the American Civil Liberties Union. The A.C.L.U. said it wanted nothing to do with them.
Sheesh if the ACLU will support NAMBLA but wants nothing to do with these guys they must be low lifes.
Or maybe a Woody Alan movie character.
They aren't "protesting" in the sense that you can tell what it is they are against during the protest. They're just trying to get attention.
The local media types think they're just nutjobs.
There is a question about how they know when and where to show up for their antics.
As citizens in a participatory democracy, we can no longer idly standby and let our government offer the airwaves, our common property, to the highest bidder," NEWSBREAKERS senior political correspondent Buck Owens said.
isn't Buck too old for this kind of stuff?
You must be refering to the A.C.L.U. as lowlifes?
Yep. That's assault and battery.
Wow. Just imagine
what will happen to Freepers
for the stuff we said
we'd like to happen
to Dan Rather! Now such talk
might be a hate crime . . .
Sounds like a bunch of DUmmies to me.
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 moved sideways towards the van. (I don't blame her) Give the reporters some good pepper spray and we could have some video that's really entertaining.
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