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Media
Friday, September 14, 2018
Burlington / Education / Media / News Despite Controversy, Burlington Principal Plans to Vet Student Newspaper Stories
Posted By Sasha Goldstein on Fri, Sep 14, 2018 at 6:59 PM
Burlington High School principal Noel Green, whose censorship of a student newspaper led to a public outcry this week, has instituted a new policy that requires student journalists to submit articles for review 48 hours before publication.
The policy, issued two days after Green censored a story on the website of the Register, the school's newspaper, says that it is intended “to affirm support for the school newspaper, but also outline guidelines around how it functions.”
Seven Days obtained a copy of the new policy from the student journalists. It refers to Act 49, the Vermont law passed last year that was intended to prevent school administrators from censoring student journalists. But Green notes that there are six instances, such as libelous or slanderous information, that would be precluded from protection under the law, which is commonly referred to as New Voices.
“The only way school administrators can ensure that distributed material passes this litmus test, they must have the ability to view all material before it is printed,” Green wrote. “Thus, moving forward the BHS Register will re-continue the policy from 2016/17 which required material to be submitted to the administration 48 hours prior to publication.”
The policy, issued two days after Green censored a story on the website of the Register, the school's newspaper, says that it is intended “to affirm support for the school newspaper, but also outline guidelines around how it functions.”
Seven Days obtained a copy of the new policy from the student journalists. It refers to Act 49, the Vermont law passed last year that was intended to prevent school administrators from censoring student journalists. But Green notes that there are six instances, such as libelous or slanderous information, that would be precluded from protection under the law, which is commonly referred to as New Voices.
“The only way school administrators can ensure that distributed material passes this litmus test, they must have the ability to view all material before it is printed,” Green wrote. “Thus, moving forward the BHS Register will re-continue the policy from 2016/17 which required material to be submitted to the administration 48 hours prior to publication.”
Education / Media Residents Rebuke Burlington School Officials Over Guidance Department Controversies
Posted By Molly Walsh on Fri, Sep 14, 2018 at 12:08 AM
Parents and residents blasted the Burlington School Board and Superintendent Yaw Obeng Thursday night for their handling of unprofessional conduct allegations involving high school guidance director Mario Macias.
During a stinging public comment session, multiple speakers said district leadership ignored complaints about Macias for more than a year and should have placed him on leave Friday. That's when the Vermont Education Agency cited him for six alleged licensing violations, including fabricating a transcript so a student could graduate and behaving inappropriately with a substitute teacher who was a college student.
Numerous speakers also slammed BHS principal Noel Green for ordering the removal of an article from the website of the student newspaper, the Register, detailing the Macias allegations. The story was posted online Monday and removed Tuesday. After an outcry over censorship, Green and Obeng agreed to permit the article to be reposted.
The board went into executive session to discuss an unspecified personnel matter at 7:40 p.m. and concluded it more than an hour later. Asked if they had taken action to put Macias on leave, Obeng and board leaders would not comment. They said the administration and school board would issue statements Friday.
During a stinging public comment session, multiple speakers said district leadership ignored complaints about Macias for more than a year and should have placed him on leave Friday. That's when the Vermont Education Agency cited him for six alleged licensing violations, including fabricating a transcript so a student could graduate and behaving inappropriately with a substitute teacher who was a college student.
Numerous speakers also slammed BHS principal Noel Green for ordering the removal of an article from the website of the student newspaper, the Register, detailing the Macias allegations. The story was posted online Monday and removed Tuesday. After an outcry over censorship, Green and Obeng agreed to permit the article to be reposted.
The board went into executive session to discuss an unspecified personnel matter at 7:40 p.m. and concluded it more than an hour later. Asked if they had taken action to put Macias on leave, Obeng and board leaders would not comment. They said the administration and school board would issue statements Friday.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Burlington / Education / Media Burlington Principal Reverses Course, Allows Students to Publish Story
Posted By Sasha Goldstein on Thu, Sep 13, 2018 at 1:48 PM
Updated at 8:45 p.m.
Burlington High School principal Noel Green has reversed course and will allow student journalists to again publish a story online that he had ordered removed.
The article, first published Monday night by school newspaper the Register, detailed the results of a yearlong Vermont Agency of Education investigation into BHS guidance director Mario Macias, who’s been accused of unprofessional and incompetent behavior. Green asked students to pull the story down Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the school district, after he reviewed Act 49, a law passed in 2017 that’s meant to free student journalists from administrative censorship.
“While protecting student journalism, this law also allows administration to ask students to remove any story which is deemed to be ‘substantially disrupting the ability of the school to perform its educational mission,’” district spokesperson Russ Elek wrote in the statement. “In the opinion of Principal Green, this story very much fell under this stipulation at the time, and District leadership supported his decision to ask that the story be taken off the site.”
Burlington High School principal Noel Green has reversed course and will allow student journalists to again publish a story online that he had ordered removed.
The article, first published Monday night by school newspaper the Register, detailed the results of a yearlong Vermont Agency of Education investigation into BHS guidance director Mario Macias, who’s been accused of unprofessional and incompetent behavior. Green asked students to pull the story down Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the school district, after he reviewed Act 49, a law passed in 2017 that’s meant to free student journalists from administrative censorship.
“While protecting student journalism, this law also allows administration to ask students to remove any story which is deemed to be ‘substantially disrupting the ability of the school to perform its educational mission,’” district spokesperson Russ Elek wrote in the statement. “In the opinion of Principal Green, this story very much fell under this stipulation at the time, and District leadership supported his decision to ask that the story be taken off the site.”
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Burlington / Media / News Censorship of Burlington School Newspaper May Have Violated Law
Posted By Sasha Goldstein on Wed, Sep 12, 2018 at 6:58 PM
Burlington High School principal Noel Green may have violated state law when he ordered student journalists to take down a story posted to the school newspaper’s website.
Monday night the Register broke the news that the state has been investigating school guidance director Mario Macias, who is accused of unprofessional conduct and could lose his educator's license for nearly a year.
By Tuesday morning, Green ordered the Register’s teacher adviser, Beth Fialko Casey, to pull the article. Fialko Casey conferred with the article’s four authors — editors Julia Shannon-Grillo, Halle Newman, Nataleigh Noble and Jenna Peterson — who reluctantly agreed to comply.
“It did cross our minds that they’d want to talk to us and we were ready to defend our actions but we were not expecting it to be censored,” said Shannon-Grillo, a 16-year-old junior. “We understand [Green’s] decision, but as editors, we don’t agree with it.”
Monday night the Register broke the news that the state has been investigating school guidance director Mario Macias, who is accused of unprofessional conduct and could lose his educator's license for nearly a year.
Related Investigator: 'Unprofessional' Burlington High School Guidance Director Faked Transcript
Investigator: 'Unprofessional' Burlington High School Guidance Director Faked Transcript
Off Message
“It did cross our minds that they’d want to talk to us and we were ready to defend our actions but we were not expecting it to be censored,” said Shannon-Grillo, a 16-year-old junior. “We understand [Green’s] decision, but as editors, we don’t agree with it.”
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Burlington / Education / Media Seven Days Countersues Burlington School District in Records Case
Posted By Sasha Goldstein on Tue, Aug 14, 2018 at 1:36 PM
Seven Days has filed a countersuit against the Burlington School District seeking attorney fees and other costs accrued during a public records dispute.
The newspaper originally filed a public records request in June for the district’s resignation agreement with Adam Provost, the former Burlington Technical Center interim director. Provost resigned in January, citing medical reasons, after he spent months on administrative leave, WCAX-TV reported at the time.
When members of the media or citizens request public documents, government entities typically either release the documents or explain why, under the law, they will not.
In this instance, the school district notified Provost of Seven Days’ records request. Through an attorney, the former school administrator consented only to the release of a redacted version of the agreement, the district said in documents filed in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington. The district, which took the position that the full record should be released, then took Provost to court — and also named Seven Days as a defendant. The district wants a judge to review the records and determine whether the agreement should be released in full.
Filing a lawsuit against a news outlet seeking records is highly unusual, as is asking a judge to decide, at that stage, which information is public.
The newspaper originally filed a public records request in June for the district’s resignation agreement with Adam Provost, the former Burlington Technical Center interim director. Provost resigned in January, citing medical reasons, after he spent months on administrative leave, WCAX-TV reported at the time.
When members of the media or citizens request public documents, government entities typically either release the documents or explain why, under the law, they will not.
In this instance, the school district notified Provost of Seven Days’ records request. Through an attorney, the former school administrator consented only to the release of a redacted version of the agreement, the district said in documents filed in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington. The district, which took the position that the full record should be released, then took Provost to court — and also named Seven Days as a defendant. The district wants a judge to review the records and determine whether the agreement should be released in full.
Filing a lawsuit against a news outlet seeking records is highly unusual, as is asking a judge to decide, at that stage, which information is public.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Fair Game Extra / Media
Media Note: Lawmaker Claims Bias By Weekly Newspaper
Posted By John Walters on Thu, Jul 26, 2018 at 6:28 PM
A controversy has erupted in Enosburg, the home turf of the weekly County Courier newspaper. You see, the paper’s owner, publisher and chief reporter, Gregory Lamoureux, happens to be in a relationship with Felisha Leffler, the Republican challenger to Rep. Cindy Weed (P-Enosburg Falls). And Weed believes that Lamoureux has his thumb on the scale.
Weed cites articles published during the legislative session “bashing me on the issues." She said, "The articles align with [Leffler’s] positions.” Weed's chief complaint concerns stories about this year's debate over proposed gun laws, which Weed supported.
"The gun stories ran before my girlfriend was a candidate," Lamoureux contended. "I didn't know she was thinking about [running]."
Weed also complains of the paper’s restrictive policy on letters to the editor. The Courier almost never publishes letters from candidates or their close relatives during campaigns and has a limit of one letter per supporter per campaign.
Weed cites articles published during the legislative session “bashing me on the issues." She said, "The articles align with [Leffler’s] positions.” Weed's chief complaint concerns stories about this year's debate over proposed gun laws, which Weed supported.
"The gun stories ran before my girlfriend was a candidate," Lamoureux contended. "I didn't know she was thinking about [running]."
Weed also complains of the paper’s restrictive policy on letters to the editor. The Courier almost never publishes letters from candidates or their close relatives during campaigns and has a limit of one letter per supporter per campaign.
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Media Media Note: WCAX to Cut Production Staff
Posted By Paul Heintz on Wed, Jul 25, 2018 at 11:11 PM
WCAX-TV is planning its third round of layoffs since the station was acquired last year by a national media conglomerate.
Managers at the South Burlington-based CBS affiliate informed staffers Tuesday that its production department would face deep cuts in the coming weeks. The department, which currently includes 13 full-time and seven part-time employees, will be reduced to roughly 10 full-time equivalent positions, according to WCAX vice president and general manager Jay Barton.
"We as an organization have been going through a massive amount of change," he said.
Barton attributed the staff reduction to a recent investment in automated equipment, including new television cameras. Over the next six weeks, he said, behind-the-scenes positions would be combined and existing employees would be retrained and evaluated. Some would then be let go, Barton said.
"Ultimately, there will be some jobs that are separated," he said.
Managers at the South Burlington-based CBS affiliate informed staffers Tuesday that its production department would face deep cuts in the coming weeks. The department, which currently includes 13 full-time and seven part-time employees, will be reduced to roughly 10 full-time equivalent positions, according to WCAX vice president and general manager Jay Barton.
"We as an organization have been going through a massive amount of change," he said.
Barton attributed the staff reduction to a recent investment in automated equipment, including new television cameras. Over the next six weeks, he said, behind-the-scenes positions would be combined and existing employees would be retrained and evaluated. Some would then be let go, Barton said.
"Ultimately, there will be some jobs that are separated," he said.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Media / News Judge: Burlington Can Withhold Councilor's Email From Seven Days
Posted By Molly Walsh on Mon, Jul 23, 2018 at 7:36 PM
An email that Burlington City Councilor Karen Paul wrote to Mayor Miro Weinberger shortly before she announced that she would recuse herself from a vote on the sale of Burlington Telecom is exempt from disclosure under the Vermont Public Records Law, a judge ruled Monday.
Vermont Superior Court Judge Robert Mello decided the case in favor of the city and against Da Capo Publishing, parent company of Seven Days.
The newspaper sought the email last year and challenged the city's denial in court.
Mello sided with city lawyers who said the email falls under a provision of the records law that shields communications between city departments when they are preliminary to policy determination or action.
Vermont Superior Court Judge Robert Mello decided the case in favor of the city and against Da Capo Publishing, parent company of Seven Days.
The newspaper sought the email last year and challenged the city's denial in court.
Mello sided with city lawyers who said the email falls under a provision of the records law that shields communications between city departments when they are preliminary to policy determination or action.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Development / News / Media Media Note: WPTZ-TV Announces Move From Colchester to South Burlington
Posted By Molly Walsh on Wed, Jun 13, 2018 at 1:31 PM
WPTZ-TV plans to vacate its crowded digs in Colchester for a new studio
in South Burlington, the NBC affiliate announced Tuesday.
The station's Plattsburgh bureau will stay open, but the technical hub located there now will move to the new location in the Technology Park at 30 Community Drive in South Burlington. The move will happen by next spring.
The station, known as NBC5, also announced that it will open a new bureau in Lebanon, N.H., and close the one it currently runs on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River in White River Junction.
The station's workforce of roughly 90 employees in New York and Vermont won't change in size. But some jobs will move from New York to Vermont, said Justin Antoniotti, president and general manager of WPTZ and WNNE, which serves the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire.
in South Burlington, the NBC affiliate announced Tuesday.
The station's Plattsburgh bureau will stay open, but the technical hub located there now will move to the new location in the Technology Park at 30 Community Drive in South Burlington. The move will happen by next spring.
The station, known as NBC5, also announced that it will open a new bureau in Lebanon, N.H., and close the one it currently runs on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River in White River Junction.
The station's workforce of roughly 90 employees in New York and Vermont won't change in size. But some jobs will move from New York to Vermont, said Justin Antoniotti, president and general manager of WPTZ and WNNE, which serves the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire.
Fair Game Extra / Media
Media Note: Valley News to Cut Printing, Design Operations
Posted By John Walters on Wed, Jun 13, 2018 at 12:56 PM
The Lebanon, N.H.-based Valley News will close its printing operation by the end of this year and is outsourcing its advertising design service next month.
Printing will be done at a new facility near Concord, N.H. that will serve three newspapers owned by Newspapers of New England — the News, the Concord Monitor and the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. Publisher Dan McClory announced the changes in Wednesday's paper.
Three designers will lose their jobs in July, when the News will begin contracting with Gannett for design services. Twelve full-time and 18 part-time staffers in printing and distribution will have to choose whether to relocate to central New Hampshire or adapt to a commute that will take at least an hour each way. They'll have some time to decide; the new press won't be ready to go until December.
Printing will be done at a new facility near Concord, N.H. that will serve three newspapers owned by Newspapers of New England — the News, the Concord Monitor and the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. Publisher Dan McClory announced the changes in Wednesday's paper.
Three designers will lose their jobs in July, when the News will begin contracting with Gannett for design services. Twelve full-time and 18 part-time staffers in printing and distribution will have to choose whether to relocate to central New Hampshire or adapt to a commute that will take at least an hour each way. They'll have some time to decide; the new press won't be ready to go until December.
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