Crashing news conferences

[Dave Ridley]

Here's an idea I got while I was walking through the lobby of the Legislative Office
Building in Concord.  I like the idea because you can make it happen by yourself.

Some bureaucrat was having a news conference at the time.
Wouldn't it be cool if we Undergrounders were to just "become reporters"
and from time to time one of us could show up at a news conference and ask nasty
irreverent questions.   Or just liberty-related questions that the press is not
asking.   Then, like the bloggers who now have White House access, you just write
up a quick forum-post news report.  If asked, you could identify yourself as being
with the NH Underground.  Or Peasants with Pitchforks ( don't forget to bring the
pitchfork).   

If you do this , one major suggestion:  One of the reasons the public dislikes mainstream
reporters is their demeanor in news conferences.  They are overly serious, they
do not appear to be having fun and they come off as though they are unsuccessfully
trying to hide their biases.   If you go in there with your tounge up in your cheek
and looking like you're about to bust out laughing the whole time, you will be a
refreshing counterpoint to the Nanny Press!

Imagine if Hampton Town Hall were to schedule a protest about the budget or something
and Kevin Schultz was scheduled to speak. You could just show up and ask him whatever
you felt like, with the local press watching and hopefully enjoying the fireworks.

A logistical issue:  Not sure how we could get access to all the info on upcoming
press conferences around the state.   But getting that info for state govt would
be sufficient for a start!

[Kat Kanning]

Oooh devilishly good idea!

[Michael Fisher]

Hmmm...

Old info from 1997.
http://www.rcfp.org/places/presspassesmayhelpyougetin.html

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MEDIA; White House Approves Pass For Blogger 
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30913FC35590C748CDDAA0894DD404482

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE (NYT) 654 words
Late Edition - Final , Section C , Page 5 , Column 5

ABSTRACT - Garrett M Graff, who writes blog about news media in Washington, to attend daily White House press briefing; appears to be first blogger in short history of medium to get daily White House pass for purpose of writing Web log; Mediabistro.com publishes his FishbowlDC blog; bloggers are increasingly penetrating preserves of mainstream news media and have become driving force in news events themselves; Graff notes he got nowhere with bid for pass until traditional media joined in effort; White House press secretary Scott McClellan says White House Correspondents Association made decision (M)

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On White House Credentials
http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/west_wing_reportage/on_white_house_credentials_19257.asp

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Apparently, as long as this is done as a full-time for-profit business, it shouldn't be too hard to get a press pass to any event.

This is a brilliant idea Dave.

[Russell Kanning]

That would work great across NH since you don't need the pass to get to the officials (unlike say the president).....
we could be like the fake reporters from "The Daily Show" on comedy central.....presidential candidates were starting to recognize them and laugh...
if we were just a little more friendly and not quite so weird...they might actually get used to us and like us.

[Russell Kanning]

We also would be a different since we aren't "bloggers"

[Lloyd Danforth]

Obviously, Russell was excluding himself as one of our reporters.

[Dreepa]

Dada this is a great idea!

[Russell Kanning]

It's a hoot. And what do you mean by "not quite so wierd"?

Sometimes the Daily Show fake reporters ask just bizarre stuff....we could just be asking the questions the media normaly doesn't

[BlueLu]

If a digest of the questions and answers were sent out to NH Underground participants, you could also claim a circulation of however many users there are, which will be bigger than some of the small newspapers in NH, I am guessing.?

I suppose this might violate some policy Kat set up in the beginning of the NH Underground, but if it does, I do not know about it....

[Lloyd Danforth]

It's a hoot. And what do you mean by "not quite so wierd"?

Sometimes the Daily Show fake reporters ask just bizarre stuff....we could just be asking the questions the media normaly doesn't

Just asking the questions that are important to us will seem Bizarre to them

[Kat Kanning]

If a digest of the questions and answers were sent out to NH Underground participants, you could also claim a circulation of however many users there are, which will be bigger than some of the small newspapers in NH, I am guessing. 

I suppose this might violate some policy Kat set up in the beginning of the NH Underground, but if it does, I do not know about it....

I can assure you, we have no policies.      This is just a place where people can get together to promote freedom, or bs, or whatever.

[Pat K]

If a digest of the questions and answers were sent out to NH Underground participants, you could also claim a circulation of however many users there are, which will be bigger than some of the small newspapers in NH, I am guessing.?

I suppose this might violate some policy Kat set up in the beginning of the NH Underground, but if it does, I do not know about it....

I can assure you, we have no policies.? ?? ?This is just a place where people can get together to promote freedom, or bs, or whatever.

No Policies!!!! What are you nuts, is there no dress code either? Damn you probably don't even have a mission statement!!!

[AlanM]

If a digest of the questions and answers were sent out to NH Underground participants, you could also claim a circulation of however many users there are, which will be bigger than some of the small newspapers in NH, I am guessing.?

I suppose this might violate some policy Kat set up in the beginning of the NH Underground, but if it does, I do not know about it....

I can assure you, we have no policies.? ?? ?This is just a place where people can get together to promote freedom, or bs, or whatever.

No Policies!!!! What are you nuts, is there no dress code either? Damn you probably don't even have a mission statement!!!

I think everyone is waiting for you to write the mission statement, Pat. 

[Pat K]

If Russell is a reporter it will have to be for BNN=Burning News Network

[AlanM]

If Russell is a reporter it will have to be for BNN=Burning News Network

He finds answers to all the burning questions of the day.