On Hassling the Press And A Possible Solution
ON HASSLING THE PRESS AND A POSSIBLE SOLUTION
UP FRONT
Turn to our Daytona report on page 54 of this issue and you’ll notice that there is less action than we usually feature. The reason for this is simple. At Daytona there has been a rule change regarding where photographers may and may not go. And since photographers were not informed of the changes at the time credential requests were confirmed, they did not arrive in Florida with equipment capable of capturing action at extreme distances.
There is absolutely no question that the promoter has the right to change rules and restrict photographers in any manner he chooses, but in the case of Daytona I think a mistake has been made. Here’s why.
1. The crucial problem every promoter faces is not really where photographers stand, but how many are allowed access to the track. At each track, press credential requests come in by the hundreds, and most tracks, frankly, issue too many credentials. If all the friends of friends and would-be journalists are weeded out, you will end up with a group of approximately 100 full-time professionals working for reputable newspapers and magazines who should be allowed access to privileged areas. At Daytona there was no plan to limit credentials. On the contrary, more than necessary were issued. And all this is before you consider the rumor that photo passes were for sale. Whether or not the rumor was true, CYCLE WORLD has photos of a restricted corner full of people (with credentials and no cameras) eating their lunches!
2. Some of the less fortunate journalists, myself included, were not informed of the changes at the time credentials were picked up at the track. Compounding this, some of the AMA flagmen were not aware of the changes. As a result, the following happened.
I was just about to take a picture in an area I later found out was legally okay, when a flagman told me it was too dangerous and instructed me to go into the infield. I shot photos in various infield turns for about an hour, then turned around suddenly and found a Volusia County sheriff staring me in the face. The first thing he did was rip the photo credentials off my pants, beltloop and all. A bit startled, I asked him why and was informed that photographers were not authorized in the infield. Too dangerous he said. Funny, I’d just been told an hour earlier to enter the infield for reasons of safety!
3. Some of the newly designated photo areas are simply not safe when motorcycles are running the course. Photographers used to be allowed in the infield and stood on the inside of turns. With the exception of the area around turn one (where photogs cross the track), the infield was safe because motorcycles never spin in. They either slide out or go straight. Always!
Now, at the end of the infield horseshoe, photographers are allowed within a few feet of the track, on the outside. There is an armco barrier there, but that is not enough protection and that is exactly where bikes can come off the track. I for one would not occupy that area for any price.
4. This matter of safety regarding photographers becomes somewhat more serious when you consider the fact that Daytona’s chief photographer D. Lynn Justis (the individual who makes safety recommendations in this area), comes to us via Nascar. Nascar, as most of you know, is the sanctioning body for stock car racing; and, while this racing is some of the best in the world, the fact remains that cars and bikes, when out of control, do not do the same things. Because Mr. Justis is not overly familiar with motorcycles, he should not be the one advising the promoter on press safety for motorcycle events.
In Mr. Justis’ defense, he is a rational human being whom I believe (after talking with him at length) is qualified to set safety areas for photographers at automobile races of any kind. And, at an automobile race, I would listen to what he had to say very carefully, because I am not an expert in that area.
5. Finally, rules or no rules, the personnel working the infield and pit gates at Daytona did not have proper instruction. There are three or four separate gates into the pits. At some gates anybody with a pass could go in. At others, you couldn’t get in with the proper pass. And the irony of it all is that all the gates lead to the same place, so what’s the difference? None, that’s what.
What I’m saying is that the new regulations at Daytona are unnecessarily prohibitive, are not entirely in the best interest of safety, and are poorly enforced.
The real problem lies with the issuing of credentials in the first place. A good solution could be to limit credentials to working professionals only. And then only to those working for publications or networks that intend to either print or broadcast coverage of the race. There should be no one in designated photo areas eating lunch. There should be no one in designated photo areas who does not have equipment and therefore cannot take pictures.
Finally, if a journalist has credentials, he should receive equal treatment whether he is working for television, radio, magazines or newspapers. We all need to make a living and we all further the sport of motorcycling every time we are allowed to cover a race properly. And this is in addition to the publicity that the track itself receives.
In the future, I hope management at Daytona will reconsider the new rulings and come up with a separate press approach for motorcycle and automobile events. And I most certainly hope that promoters elsewhere in the nation do not follow Daytona’s example.
