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« NCSL's Report Belies Its Press Release | Main | NCSL Says Term Limits May Boost Power Of Lobbyists » August 16, 2006NCSL Agrees To Let Blogger Cover Session on BlogsNASHVILLE - The National Conference of State Legislatures convention meeting in Nashville this week will explore the role blogs and other Internet technologies have in the policymaking process in a session, E-Legislatures: Technology and the Policymaking Process, Thursday morning. And they've decided to let a blogger join the media covering it. The session description: Americans have more access to legislative information than ever before. But growing use of new technologies--blogging, Internet campaigns, laptops and webcasts in committees, text messaging, cell phones--places greater demands on legislators and the institution every day. How can legislators keep up with citizen expectations? This session will examine technologies to capture the benefits of technology without losing the advantages of face-to-face interaction.The NCSL press office originally denied my request for a press pass to cover the session, saying, "I'm sorry, but we don't credential bloggers." But after much back-and-forth via email they agreed to provide me with press credentials to cover the session. Presiding over the session will be Wisconsin state Sen. Robert Jauch. The speakers will be Laurie Maak, Web Dialogue Developer and Manager with WestEd in San Francisco, California; Utah's blogging state Rep. Stephen Urquhart, and Kentucky state Rep. Susan Westrom. It looks interesting and I'm glad the NCSL backed away from its "We don't credential bloggers" stance. After all, the session is, in large part, about blogs and how interactive digital technologies are changing the lawmaking process and the relationship between lawmakers and their constituents. With blogs and the Internet undermining the traditional gatekeepers, it made little sense, and was more than a little ironic, for the NCSL to try to restrict access only to "credentialed" journalists working for Big Media outlets. Posted in Blogging
Comments
YES!! Thank you, Bill. Posted by: Kay Brooks at August 16, 2006 2:52 PMBill, Bloggers will 'keep em honest.' That's why most politicians are so afraid of bloggers and so comfortable with the lobbyists. Posted by: Jim Boyd at August 16, 2006 9:08 PMI think that the person who emailed you that first response needs to attend the symposium as an observer and not as a participant. How utterly dense. Posted by: Bob K at August 16, 2006 9:25 PMGlad you got in, Bill. I'm thinking that some people really have no grasp of irony whatsoever. Hope you (and other movers) can pull off some more blogging-with-the-candidates luncheons. Posted by: john h at August 17, 2006 5:34 PMPost a comment
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