WUTC incident

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

http://current.org/2017/03/3-warnings-for-news-departments-from-the-wutc-incident/

http://current.org/2017/03/npr-chides-tennessee-university-over-firing-of-public-radio-reporter/

Now NPR has condemn the firing of a WUTC Staff member. This was over political fallout of the Tennessee state congress over the Transgender rights/ Bathroom Bill issue in Tennessee and it lead to the staff member being fired for allegedly not getting press credentials.

NPR issued a statement Monday questioning the firing of a reporter at public radio station WUTC in Chattanooga, Tenn. and calling for stronger safeguards for the station’s editorial independence from its university licensee.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga reportedly fired WUTC reporter Jacqui Helbert last week after state legislators complained to university officials that Helbert had not identified herself as a journalist during meetings at the capitol. Helbert was carrying audio equipment and wearing a press pass, however.

Helbert’s story, which has since been removed from WUTC’s website, included candid remarks by legislators discussing a bathroom bill that would affect transgender high-school students. The article was removed from WUTC’s website but is archived, and the audio is available.

In firing Helbert, the university overreached, said Michael Oreskes, NPR’s SVP of news, and Mark Memmott, supervising senior editor for standards and practices.