dia...
collaborate to raise awareness
The Naked Truth – a case study in what not to do
When news photographer John Rodger, followed a tip-off that Sky would be filming a promo for their new Freeview arts channel, he hadn’t counted on being aggressively challenged by security guards. In what was a good-old-fashioned scoop, he recced the venue (in this case, Alexandra Palace in North London) to plan his shoot. There were no closures or any signs to say filming was prohibited.
“I turned up at 6am the following morning to find 200 people – all completely naked apart from their masks – taking part in one of Spencer Tunick’s nude ‘art installations’. When I started taking photos from the public highway that runs through the park, yellow- vested security guards came over to ask who I was. I explained and showed them my Press Card, but they turned on me saying it was a private event and I couldn’t take pictures. “When I couldn’t use my professional cameras, I got out my mobile phone and joined members of the public taking pictures. When I was accosted and told they were stopping me because I was a press photographer and they didn’t want me taking pictures.”
John described how, for the next two hours, security personnel stopped and blocked him from taking decent pictures by pushing and hassling him. The road had not been closed. Other pedestrians were not prevented from using their smartphones, and at least one had pictures published.
“I called the police and told them someone had pushed me on the chest. However, when they arrived, they seemed more surprised, concerned and overwhelmed by the number of people breaking social distancing restrictions. They didn’t take a report from me and left the scene five minutes later.” John enlisted the help of the British Press Photographers’ Association (BPPA) and the case continues with the backing of other organisations such as the CIOJ.
Press Card Gateway Keepers BAJ - British Association of Journalists, BBC, BECTU - Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematographic and Theatre Union, BFBS - British Forces Broadcasting Service, BPPA - British Press Photographers' Association, Channel 4, CIOJ - Chartered Institute of Journalists, CPNA - Council of Photographic News Agencies, EVCOM - Event & Visual Communication Association, FPA - Foreign Press Association, ITN, ITV, Local TV Network, NAPA - National Association of Press Agencies, News Media Association (NMA), NUJ - National Union of Journalists, PPA - Professional Publishers Association, Thomson Reuters, Sky News.
Useful Resources: Journalists’ Code of Ethics:
https://www.ipso.co.uk/editors-code-of-practice/ Met Police Advice re Photography:
https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/ph/photography-advice/ UK Press Care Authority:
http://www.ukpresscardauthority.co.uk UK Pres Card Verification Hotline: 0870 837 6477.
© CITY SECURITY MAGAZINE – SUMMER 2021
www.citysecuritymagazine.com >
19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
