Obama Campaign To Charge News Outlets For Election Night Coverage

Chicago Sun-Times:

WASHINGTON---The Obama campaign is putting a hefty price tag on the best camera and reporting positions for news organizations covering Barack Obama's outdoor election night activities in downtown Chicago. If a reporter wants access to the file center--which will be the best place to find Obama officials and spokesmen--be prepared to write a check for $935. The cheapest place a reporter could stand on a riser with a view is $880.

That $935 covers one reporter in a heated file tent, power, cable tv, internet and food. I am told by an Obama spokesman who did not want his name used that this just covers costs and they are not turning a profit on this. The planners could have built in more al a carte options for Grant Park coverage.

This is an outrageous pay to play plan that caters to national elite outlets with deep pockets.

Read the whole story: Chicago Sun-Times

Comments

[ohiomark]

08:18 AM on 10/24/2008

Looks like Obama is a capitalist when it benefits him and his campaign, but he is a socialist when it comes to taxpayer money.

[brent777]

09:34 AM on 10/24/2008

I don't think they will go broke. It's not like the reporter who will be footing the bill. I'm sure his/her boss will pay and write it off. Oh yeah the media has made quite a bit of money on the campaign ads they run, those ads aren't free, so some think those media types will be able to afford those prices.

[bucklandcowchuck]

03:17 PM on 10/23/2008

Oh please. The McCain campaign is charging, as well: $695 per person for media access.

[Mattylock]

06:34 PM on 10/23/2008

And the $695 is not for live access. That allows them to receive the live feed from the hotel lawn, where McCain will give his remarks to select supporters and reporters. The filing center will be inside the hotel where the $695 guests can check him out on the monitor.

[cheferic]

01:57 PM on 10/23/2008

If you don't charge for reporter access to election night,you wind up with 2nd ,3rd and worse rate coverage from unaccountable sources and you devalue the brand and the coverage of the primary sources.If the access on this night were free and unchecked,one runs the risk of the first pictures of the new president in a triple x publication with a staff interview .

[Jaybot]

11:46 AM on 10/23/2008

It's not enough, the "fee" should be quadrupled, twice.

[SPQR1052]

11:23 AM on 10/23/2008

The city of Chicago is charging the campaign therefore.... it only correct. Also I suppose this hoots down that nonsense that he's a socialist! He's a bon a fide capitalist - barvo!!

"Oui, on peut -- Yes we can!"

0bama 2008 and beyond.

[Haditup2here]

08:39 PM on 10/22/2008

Well, many of the talking heads are actually against subsidizing -- so why should donor dollars subsidize their work.

[RnR]

08:26 PM on 10/22/2008

I thought it was pretty reasonable. Consider that a professional digital camera with a good auto focus system and appropriate zoom lens will cost, probably around $7,000.

What's the problem with paying a grand for a good location? The problem I would see would be that there might not be enough "good locations" to go around...then who gets bumped?

[sharonrj50]

09:11 PM on 10/22/2008

THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA ARE COVERING UP THE TRUTH AND TRYING TO HELP HIM GET ELECTED WELL I THOUGHT AT LEAST HE WOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL HE WON BEFORE THROWING THEM UNDER THE BUS. IT IS GETTING AWFULLY CROWDED UNDER THAT BUS.

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL WHAT IDIOTS THIS MAN IS GOING TO CHARGE AND AMERICA IS JUST AS BIG OF IDIOTS FOR BELIEVING WHAT THIS LOW LIFE OF MY PARTY IS DOING


WHAT A THUG

[Haditup2here]

10:13 PM on 10/22/2008

And what's your views own Sarah McFailin "Bucket" Palin's $150,000.00 wardrobe? At least some of the money of the donors for the Democratic Party gets recycled back to the campaign.

[lizaF]

12:19 PM on 10/23/2008

You have absolutely no idea how press coverage is handled during campaign events. If you read this thread you might actually learn something.

[trish325]

05:58 PM on 10/22/2008

By deciding to have the event in Grant Park, Obama is letting all his supporters in on the party, unlike all the candidates who rent a ballroom in some hotel. The downside is that the City of Chicago is going to charge the campaign extremely big bucks. It's an extremely expensive choice, but a wonderful one.

As for the media access on election night, what does that ever come to? Film of the event. I hardly see this as a freedom of the press question. But then no one I know reads the Sun Times since it was sold to Murdoch.

[barackobama4prez]

04:59 PM on 10/22/2008

I've had to pay more for a two-day seminar in the cosmetology industry. It's under a grand.....that sounds fair to me.

[momfromchicago]

03:09 PM on 10/22/2008

Why is the media complaining about paying? They can afford it. I am more concerned that the campaign assist with the costs to the city of Chicago for holding this event given the current financial difficulties here.

[atciii]

12:57 PM on 10/22/2008

"Oui, on peut -- Yes we can!" OBAMA ZYDECO FROM LOUISIANA 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLvgwHGlpdQ

[cmp]

12:44 PM on 10/22/2008

Well, I say, WAY TO GO, OBAMA ! F%uk y'all. MSM has been ripping you to shreds for 2 years. If they want a front row seat, make them pay. God, is their nothing this man doesn't think of? OBAMA 08

[billofgoods]

12:19 PM on 10/22/2008

and you wonder why the US is ranked 36th in the world for freedon=m of the press

[sheikwil4]

12:31 PM on 10/22/2008

Hey, you got to pay to play. Why should the tax payer who have donated to Obama pay for the media to get a good place to cover especially how nasty to media has been to Obama, people think that they have been on Obama side, but everytime I look up the media is covering Sarah Palin and McCain and they are biased for McCain, I see them on the these news shows with spoke person for McCain, but they don't have an Obama spoke person on at the same time to respond back to the out and out lies that the McCain spokes person is saying. So I don't blame the Obama camp for making them pay.

[gretcheno]

01:11 PM on 10/22/2008

IA especially Fox News and some of the Cnn people. Heck if I had it I would pay to ask a ? or 2.

[atciii]

12:16 PM on 10/22/2008

i think it would be worth the convenience. imagine if they had to do it all themselves. Get permits to set up, tent rental, catering, electricty, cable, inteernet lines run, generators, satellites, heaters, etc...

i am sure it would be much more expensive and time consuming for them to do it themselves

[HHarvey]

11:59 AM on 10/22/2008

Cry me a river! That's less than how much I pay in general liability insurance for the year.