State Journalism Legal Training To Be Hosted by The Mountain Enterprise

  • This photo was taken by Editor Patric Hedlund on February 3, 2006 when former El Tejon Unified School District Superintendent John Wight and principal Dan Penner called then-Sgt. Dave Barker (above, right) to prevent Publisher Gary Meyer (above) and Hedlund from reporting at Frazier Mountain High School. Barker said we could sue Wight for false arrest?but our goal was to report to the public about Wight?s actions at the high school following a court settlement. Wight resigned four months later.
During the same year, The Mountain Enterprise successfully fought a lawsuit attempting to bar reporters from covering elections of importance to the lives of mountain residents. We affirmed the right of your local newspaper to inform readers about stories that make a difference.

    This photo was taken by Editor Patric Hedlund on February 3, 2006 when former El Tejon Unified School District Superintendent John Wight and principal Dan Penner called then-Sgt. Dave Barker (above, right) to prevent Publisher Gary Meyer (above) and Hedlund from reporting at Frazier Mountain High School. Barker said we could sue Wight for false arrest?but our goal was to report to the public about Wight?s actions at the high school following a court settlement. Wight resigned four months later. During the same year, The Mountain Enterprise successfully fought a lawsuit attempting to bar reporters from covering elections of importance to the lives of mountain residents. We affirmed the right of your local newspaper to inform readers about stories that make a difference.

Remember this moment? Freedom isn’t free, and freedom Of the press has its costs too.

The California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA) has selected The Mountain Enterprise to host a legal training seminar in journalism law here in the Mountain Communities. The event will take place Friday, Jan. 18.

CNPA lawyers will train newsroom staff on media law, including open meeting and public records laws, defamation, privacy, and reporters’ legal rights and risks.

News personnel from Los Angeles, Kern County and surrounding areas have been invited to attend.

Community reporters for The Mountain Enterprise, local journalism students and their instructors will be invited to participate in this rare local opportunity to learn of the legal basis for freedom of the press and the responsibilities that vigorous journalism must uphold under our state and federal constitutions.

The press often is in the line of fire when the public’s right to know is the true target. That is why the legal staff of the California Newspaper Publishers Association is a valuable asset to the The Mountain Enterprise. We are honored to host this event.


—Editor

This is part of the November 30, 2007 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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