I think I might not have been as clear as I thought, with regards to my previous column, Times are tough but paying to cover an event is silly, so I decided to write this column in an attempt to set the record straight. For clarity’s sake, I based the entirety of my argument [in the Aug. 30 issue of the Barrhead Leader] on something I was told while trying to gain admittance to the Fort Assiniboine Rodeo myself.
It was an off-hand comment in response to my reaction at having to pony up the dough.
Whether it is a baseball game, a hockey game, a rodeo event, a derby, or some other kind of tournament, I am not there as a spectator.
I have a job to do.
While I wrote that I do not mind paying to attend events I am covering as part of my job, I still stand behind what I said with regards to other services having to pay.
I don’t think the media should have to pay either, but that’s a whole other can of worms for a different day.
Having spoken with Fort Assiniboine’s deputy fire chief Devon Williams however, I now understand that the fire department members volunteered to pay admission. That was something I did not know when I wrote my previous column. The point of that article was that if these services had to pay out-right, I thought it a shame. Again, I understand times are tough on everyone, but from what I gather you cannot host events such as these without those two services present for a number of reasons.
I’m glad that Williams took the time to call me and tell me his members volunteered to pay the admission fee, but that still doesn’t change my point.
Voluntary or not, one member or ten, it should not matter.
