When [PJTV’s Washington Bureau ]Pollock said that he’d be fine with filming not on the press riser, [Comedy Central’s senior vice president of corporate communications] Albani said that filming would be “strictly prohibited” between 3rd and 7th streets on the National Mall (ground zero for the event).
There's a few problems with this: legally, optically, and logistically.
It this were a private venue then sure Comedy Central could ban almost anything they wanted (like who can get into their press risers), but since this is on the National Mall I am quite sure they don't have the authority to do that.
Even if they did the optics of it are hilarious. Beck didn't care who was recording his rally. How come the hipper more liberal rally is more squeamish with press and recording than that paranoid reactionary? Is blocking out public recording part of restoring sanity?
And finally how is Comedy Central going to enforce this? Hire guards, fence in the area and inspect everyone coming in? Portable cameras are ubiquitous, cheap, and can freely broadcast. Trying to stem them is quite difficult. Why even try?
PJTV's response is the right one, be polite, then when the other side gets nutty, shrug and assert your rights. PJTV will be there and they will record the event.
Read the whole article. It's a strange, counterproductive move on Comedy Central's part. At the end there's a reproduction of the Albani/Pollock exchange so if it is all a joke it's a strange one.
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