FOX 4 WFTX - Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples News, WeatherSheriff Scott responds on News-Press battle
Member Center:
Sheriff Mike Scott speaks out...about a new twist in his battle with the News-Press.
A internationally renowned media organization is now stepping into the fray. They sent a letter to Sheriff Scott…after it heard about him turning away a News-Press reporter last week…as he spoke to other local media.
The sheriff said "I have the right to pick and choose who I want to speak to."
In it's letter to the sheriff...the New York-based Overseas Press Club Of America says..."sheriff, you don't."
I called the man who wrote the letter, the chairman of freedom of the press committee, and he didn't mince words about the sheriff's actions.
OPC: "That struck us patently unfair and wrong…It undermines our credibility to stick up for the right to free expression of journalists in other countries…that begins at home."
I asked the sheriff about that quoting him part of the letter.
PATRICK: "Even when reporters get it wrong, it's fundamental to untidy process of democracy…to have that access to you."
SHERIFF SCOTT: "I have never heard of them…I'm in Lee County in Florida. and I'm the sheriff. I don't take my marching orders from somebody in New York, I take my marching orders from voters of lee county who I think are tired of the antics of Fort Myers News Press."
The Overseas Press Club, which has been around for 70 years..and learned of it from the National Journalism Group…The Poynter Institute.
O-P-C writes the sheriff saying it takes no sides in his complaints about accuracy of the news-press. But, they tell me public officials limiting access of one news organization is a troubling step toward something serious.
O-P-C: "It enables public officials to do whatever they damn please, without necessarily feeling themselves accountable or know that anybody is watching them very closely, that's the danger."
Sheriff Scott tells Fox 4 he always promptly responds to the News-Press' questions by email. But he won't allow its reporters to interview him in person.
SHERIFF SCOTT: "I'm very at ease with this arrangement, they'll need to get over it. These are other media organizations…it's not such about the News-Press."
PATRICK: "Is this a precedent…overseas small step step?"
SHERIFF SCOTT: "Nobody's been cutoff."
PATRICK: "Controlled?"
SHERIFF SCOTT: "That's not my problem...that's their problem for continually getting it wrong."
I asked if the sheriff saw any parallel with the Obama White House decision to limit its interviews with fox news channel…because it doesn't like Fox's reporting..
PATRICK: "Is there a difference how President Obama puts restraints on Fox News Channel and what you do to news-press?"
SHERIFF SCOTT: "I don't know what they've done to put him to that point. I know my situation here…I know Lee County. We're not in Venezuela…I'm not Hugo Chavez. I'm not President Obama…I'm not in DC. When a local media outlet misquotes...[and prints] one sided unbalanced stories. I have no obligation to entertain that. What I'm doing now they should be thankful for."
