As some readers may remember, I covered the Conservative Convention in 2008 and the Liberal Convention in 2009.
The upcoming Liberal Convention plans to charge bloggers $1,100 to attend. We will not be given accreditation, you see, unless we are sponsored by some member of the corporate media. Otherwise we must pay the hefty observer fee.
That means that the oxymoronic “in-house bloggers” will be fine—their organizations would be pleased to provide a letter of “Media Accreditation,” although it’s far more likely that they will simply go as accredited journalists—Kady O’Malley, Andrew Coyne, Chris Selley, and so on.
But the of us are expected to beg for “assignments” from Big Media.
Here is the straight poop, from some Lib stamp-licker named Sarah, oozing with trademark Liberal smugness:
Thank you for your interest in attending the Ottawa 2012 – Liberal Biennial Convention.
Media Accreditation is open to recognized news organizations. Freelance and social media representatives must be sponsored by a recognized news organization. They will be asked to attach a letter of assignment to their electronic Media Accreditation Form. We will be posting an electronic Media Accreditation Form to our site closer to the Convention date.
As well, we are encouraging everyone to attend the Convention as a delegate or an observer, and hope you will join us in that capacity.
To learn more about how to become a delegate or an observer, please visit our Convention website: http://convention.liberal.ca.
And, later, from another munchkin:
Thank you for your interest in attending the Ottawa 2012 – Liberal Biennial Convention.
There are many ways to attend the Convention. We are encouraging everyone to attend as a delegate or an observer, and hope you will join us in that capacity. To learn more about how to become an observer, please visit our Convention website: https://www.liberal.ca/register-convention/.
As well, freelance and social media representatives who are sponsored by a recognized news organization can complete the Media Accreditation form, that will be posted to our site closer to the Convention date, and attach a letter of assignment.
Thank you,
Isabella Frenning
Professional chauvinists like the Ottawa Citizen’s Glen McGregor couldn’t be happier. But Kady O’Malley, to her credit, has stood up for the 21st century and the social media.
The Liberals have, in any case, just confirmed that they are yesterday’s people and yesterday’s party. Time to say a few words at the grave, methinks. And not polite ones.
This bit of classic Liberal arrogance has me as incensed as Stephen Taylor. $1,100 to the Liberal coffers for the privilege of covering their event? There are a lot of things I would invite those dreary hacks to do at this point, but this is a family blog.