A new press policy, which will come before the council for discussion next week, infringes on reporters' ability to cover city government and raises constitutional questions
I can understand that the city of Seb is under a lot of pressure....financial and other...and the mayor would like to control the narrative to avoid conflicting and possibly distracting or biased stories being 'printed'. But the optics of a gag order are not good, especially in the bigger political environment.
He is not trying to control the narrative. Have you read what he said? Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
That blanket statement needs details to support your dogma.
One, that is paying attention, can observe what the two-party system and mainstream media have done to our society; and now you also blame « progressives « What’s left… religious leaders? Ugh.
What is the Sebastopol Times, if not progressive ?
Hi Slartibartfast42 - I don't really think of the Sebastopol Times as a "progressive" paper. Personally, I'm either a liberal with a conservative streak or a conservative with a liberal streak--depends on the day, or more likely, the topic. Either way, I try to keep my personal political opinions out of my reporting.
I don't understand much of your comment, but what's obvious: during the Biden admin the press became almost completely controlled by govt. Mainstream media's news articles were nothing more than White House press releases. Hence the new term, "malinformation" - information that is accurate, but a threat to the powers that be. Reporters who tried to question the narrative were forced to leave their outlets. If it's not controlled, it's dangerous. This is what journalism under progressivism has become. California is the worst of it, so this article is no surprise at all.
It is concerning that the freedom of press is being infringed on. Please let us know who these reporters are. A few days ago it was announced that the Trump administration is picking which press outlets can cover the Presidential branch of government. And you can look this up. So if you are concerned about freedom of speech and access to our elected officials definitely stay active. Is it a problem of left and right or access of people to our government officials?
No one is entitled to a press pass to the White House. Only select organizations are invited to cover White House events, it's always been that way. If the Trump admin didn't invite the AP, because of what they've seen as highly biased reporting, that's their prerogative and it has nothing to do with censorship or being able to cover "the Presidential branch of government." No one is being censored; they can still say whatever they like. It's very different. Here's a good article by Matt Taibbi on why the AP lost their pass: https://open.substack.com/pub/taibbi/p/trump-is-trolling-the-ap?r=9ghod&utm_medium=ios
The quote from the mayors letter; "Questions not related to City goals may have delayed responses" is all I need to hear. It is the nature of good journalism to persue any and all topics the journalist determines to be of interest, even those that the mayor and apparently the city manager do not want discussed. I do not want this to be a community where the mayor and city manager decide what a journalist persues. And make no mistake about it, if they do not want to talk about it, they will delay and sanitize their answers and eliminate anyone else on council or staff from talking about it.
Yikes, this is very disturbing. As if the press hasn’t already been hampered enough in the age where everyone has a platform and anyone can spread misinformation. I will write to the council members about this and hope for some positive change. I’m a new subscriber, but I already have a lot of respect for the reporting you do.
Thank you, Laura, for your always excellent reporting and for the transparency of this article to your readers. The Sebastopol Times is exactly what dedicated local journalism should be and the thought that anyone - let alone the mayor - would try to hinder your work is appalling. I will be writing to the council. This is not something we will take lightly and will demand changes.
When it comes time to elect city council members the ones that support government transparency and freedom of the press will have my support. I hope the FAC and/or the ACLU take the city to court over this issue. Embracing transparency is cheaper than paying outside counsel to fight against the first amendment. Also, the city should get ready for a dramatic increase in FOIA/CPRA requests.
Have you ever been to a city council meeting? Do you know how much we - taxpayers are paying out in lawsuits? Do you live in the city limits? If so, how about you run for city council?
Thank you for reporting on this. I have written the city council, and will be attending the March 4 meeting to voice my opposition to this press policy.
The Sebastopol Times provides an incredible service with your reporting. We need more local reporting - not less!
Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
Here is what I chose to send to the City Council today:
I read with dismay your recently enacted limitation on press access to Council Members and Sebastopol City Staff. I urge you to rescind those policies and restore full public and press access to our dedicated Council Members and City Staff.
Although I live outside the city limits, I am an engaged part of the Sebastopol community who relies on the City for health care, food and clothing, and a wide variety of services.
Three quick points to consider:
1. My family spends well over $10,000 a year on goods and services in the City of Sebastopol proper. Not only do we rely on information from publications like the Sebastopol Times and Press Democrat to know what businesses are open, new, or have closed, we count on them to keep us informed that Sebastopol is a values-aligned place to shop. We firmly believe that every penny we spend is a vote for the future we want to see. We count on a free press reporting in depth on Sebastopol to help us make those decisions. I believe this policy is not only anti-press, but anti-business in that it reduces confidence in the City.
2. We live in a moment of great turmoil (peril, I believe) where freedom of the press is actively under attack at the federal level by the current administration. It is incredibly disheartening to see our local City Council moving in ways that curtail press freedom. This is a moment for more openness and engagement, not less.
3. Sebastopol is doing great work to build a city that creates opportunity. You have nothing to hide, nor be ashamed off. Policies that get in the way of free and open exchange of information between the city and the press simply impede the flow of information and raise concerns about hidden malfeasance. It is ultimately a counter-productive form of control. A better path is to let your residents and the community know you are confident enough in us and your work to assess accurately how the city is doing and make judgements from that. That is mutual respect.
Finally, I can not tell you how much I value the outstanding coverage of the City by the Sebastopol Times. Their in depth reporting on the city, particularly by Laura Hagar Rush, has been an engine that has increased my esteem of the City. Please let her and other current and future reporters do their work without unnecessary impediments.
Thank you for being a conscientious consumer. Sebastopol can always get poorer if our public servants choose to continue with these bystantine shenanigans.
I'm sure all taxpayers in Sebastopol would be extremely interested in an in-depth report on the water and sewer operations. The water and sewer operations were allowed to operate at a budget deficit until the reserves were exhausted and the city had to borrow a million dollars. Guess who's paying that back - yes, us, the water rate payers.
So glad you wrote this story. Our mayor and the city council, stymying press access? Why, because it keeps them accountable for their actions? Santa Rosa Junior College instituted a similar rule about 18 months ago, specifically targeting the campus newspaper, the Oak Leaf, so that all questions to any part of the administration are channeled through one person, and all the new policy does is prevent Oak Leaf student reporters from getting necessary information regarding any number of campus issues, including police reports. It’s an endless stonewall, with endless excuses on their end. I find this particularly unsettling given the supposedly pro-student, highly liberal qualifications of the new Superintendent/President, Dr. Angélica Garcia. However, college campus newspapers are under attack by similar rules all across America in recent years. In light of what’s happening in the White House, this newest development, here in Peace Town, is super ick.
Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
The Sebastopol Times provides some the best local reporting I have ever seen. Thank you for exposing the latest missteps of the city council.
Have you ever been to a city council meeting?
I can understand that the city of Seb is under a lot of pressure....financial and other...and the mayor would like to control the narrative to avoid conflicting and possibly distracting or biased stories being 'printed'. But the optics of a gag order are not good, especially in the bigger political environment.
He is not trying to control the narrative. Have you read what he said? Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
Sounds like a cover up to me.
First rule of fascism: silence rhe press. I really thought it would be a while before Sebastopol was taken over by fascists. Guess I was wrong.
Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
I live in the county, but this is certainly disturbing. Seems antithetical to the nature of Sebastopol.
Except that this is what progressives do now.
That blanket statement needs details to support your dogma.
One, that is paying attention, can observe what the two-party system and mainstream media have done to our society; and now you also blame « progressives « What’s left… religious leaders? Ugh.
What is the Sebastopol Times, if not progressive ?
Hi Slartibartfast42 - I don't really think of the Sebastopol Times as a "progressive" paper. Personally, I'm either a liberal with a conservative streak or a conservative with a liberal streak--depends on the day, or more likely, the topic. Either way, I try to keep my personal political opinions out of my reporting.
I don't understand much of your comment, but what's obvious: during the Biden admin the press became almost completely controlled by govt. Mainstream media's news articles were nothing more than White House press releases. Hence the new term, "malinformation" - information that is accurate, but a threat to the powers that be. Reporters who tried to question the narrative were forced to leave their outlets. If it's not controlled, it's dangerous. This is what journalism under progressivism has become. California is the worst of it, so this article is no surprise at all.
It is concerning that the freedom of press is being infringed on. Please let us know who these reporters are. A few days ago it was announced that the Trump administration is picking which press outlets can cover the Presidential branch of government. And you can look this up. So if you are concerned about freedom of speech and access to our elected officials definitely stay active. Is it a problem of left and right or access of people to our government officials?
No one is entitled to a press pass to the White House. Only select organizations are invited to cover White House events, it's always been that way. If the Trump admin didn't invite the AP, because of what they've seen as highly biased reporting, that's their prerogative and it has nothing to do with censorship or being able to cover "the Presidential branch of government." No one is being censored; they can still say whatever they like. It's very different. Here's a good article by Matt Taibbi on why the AP lost their pass: https://open.substack.com/pub/taibbi/p/trump-is-trolling-the-ap?r=9ghod&utm_medium=ios
The quote from the mayors letter; "Questions not related to City goals may have delayed responses" is all I need to hear. It is the nature of good journalism to persue any and all topics the journalist determines to be of interest, even those that the mayor and apparently the city manager do not want discussed. I do not want this to be a community where the mayor and city manager decide what a journalist persues. And make no mistake about it, if they do not want to talk about it, they will delay and sanitize their answers and eliminate anyone else on council or staff from talking about it.
Have you ever been to a city council meeting?
Have you?
Yikes, this is very disturbing. As if the press hasn’t already been hampered enough in the age where everyone has a platform and anyone can spread misinformation. I will write to the council members about this and hope for some positive change. I’m a new subscriber, but I already have a lot of respect for the reporting you do.
Shocking. I will never vote for Stephen Vollman for anything ever. He’s dangerous.
Have you ever been to a city council meeting? So, you are saying he is dangerous - in writing?
I am extremely disappointed in the Sebastopol City Council and mayor. Thank you for writing about this!
Have you ever been to a city council meeting?
Have you?
Every one in the last 3 years.
Thank you for your ongoing efforts to inform we citizens.
Sinclair Lewis told a story about a small town newspaper in « It Can’t Happen Here » but « it » has….
Have you ever been to a city council meeting?
Thank you, Laura, for your always excellent reporting and for the transparency of this article to your readers. The Sebastopol Times is exactly what dedicated local journalism should be and the thought that anyone - let alone the mayor - would try to hinder your work is appalling. I will be writing to the council. This is not something we will take lightly and will demand changes.
Have you ever been to a city council meeting?
When it comes time to elect city council members the ones that support government transparency and freedom of the press will have my support. I hope the FAC and/or the ACLU take the city to court over this issue. Embracing transparency is cheaper than paying outside counsel to fight against the first amendment. Also, the city should get ready for a dramatic increase in FOIA/CPRA requests.
Hey Ken - I feel ya but I don't think the city can afford any more lawsuits. Let's just convince them that this is a bad idea.
Have you ever been to a city council meeting? Do you know how much we - taxpayers are paying out in lawsuits? Do you live in the city limits? If so, how about you run for city council?
Thank you for reporting on this. I have written the city council, and will be attending the March 4 meeting to voice my opposition to this press policy.
The Sebastopol Times provides an incredible service with your reporting. We need more local reporting - not less!
Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
Hi - My opposition isn’t to media policies in general, but to this specific media policy.
Hi - What about this one don't you like?
Here is what I chose to send to the City Council today:
I read with dismay your recently enacted limitation on press access to Council Members and Sebastopol City Staff. I urge you to rescind those policies and restore full public and press access to our dedicated Council Members and City Staff.
Although I live outside the city limits, I am an engaged part of the Sebastopol community who relies on the City for health care, food and clothing, and a wide variety of services.
Three quick points to consider:
1. My family spends well over $10,000 a year on goods and services in the City of Sebastopol proper. Not only do we rely on information from publications like the Sebastopol Times and Press Democrat to know what businesses are open, new, or have closed, we count on them to keep us informed that Sebastopol is a values-aligned place to shop. We firmly believe that every penny we spend is a vote for the future we want to see. We count on a free press reporting in depth on Sebastopol to help us make those decisions. I believe this policy is not only anti-press, but anti-business in that it reduces confidence in the City.
2. We live in a moment of great turmoil (peril, I believe) where freedom of the press is actively under attack at the federal level by the current administration. It is incredibly disheartening to see our local City Council moving in ways that curtail press freedom. This is a moment for more openness and engagement, not less.
3. Sebastopol is doing great work to build a city that creates opportunity. You have nothing to hide, nor be ashamed off. Policies that get in the way of free and open exchange of information between the city and the press simply impede the flow of information and raise concerns about hidden malfeasance. It is ultimately a counter-productive form of control. A better path is to let your residents and the community know you are confident enough in us and your work to assess accurately how the city is doing and make judgements from that. That is mutual respect.
Finally, I can not tell you how much I value the outstanding coverage of the City by the Sebastopol Times. Their in depth reporting on the city, particularly by Laura Hagar Rush, has been an engine that has increased my esteem of the City. Please let her and other current and future reporters do their work without unnecessary impediments.
Thank You,
Thank you for being a conscientious consumer. Sebastopol can always get poorer if our public servants choose to continue with these bystantine shenanigans.
I'm sure all taxpayers in Sebastopol would be extremely interested in an in-depth report on the water and sewer operations. The water and sewer operations were allowed to operate at a budget deficit until the reserves were exhausted and the city had to borrow a million dollars. Guess who's paying that back - yes, us, the water rate payers.
So glad you wrote this story. Our mayor and the city council, stymying press access? Why, because it keeps them accountable for their actions? Santa Rosa Junior College instituted a similar rule about 18 months ago, specifically targeting the campus newspaper, the Oak Leaf, so that all questions to any part of the administration are channeled through one person, and all the new policy does is prevent Oak Leaf student reporters from getting necessary information regarding any number of campus issues, including police reports. It’s an endless stonewall, with endless excuses on their end. I find this particularly unsettling given the supposedly pro-student, highly liberal qualifications of the new Superintendent/President, Dr. Angélica Garcia. However, college campus newspapers are under attack by similar rules all across America in recent years. In light of what’s happening in the White House, this newest development, here in Peace Town, is super ick.
Item #16 is about research and development of a media policy. Media policies are standard practice in all corporate and government situations. It is normal to have a media policy that is standardized so that information is correct and consistent. It prevents lawsuits and misinformation to have a media policy.
Sadly, it also stymies information to the public, and can easily be misused for that purpose.
Very disturbing. He will be speaking at BHO this morning at 11 am.