The National Association of Hispanic Journalists ejected a young woman reporter working on her student project from what was supposedly an “open” board meeting at minority journalists’ 2012 UNITY convention in Las Vegas.
The president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists refused to allow media coverage of its open board meeting Tuesday.
Only one board member openly objected to the policy, which President Michele Salcedo said had been established years before.
A UNITY News reporter who had been assigned to live tweet the board’s discussions was asked to stop reporting and to leave the room. The reporter sent out three messages on the social media network before she left and waited outside the meeting room, at the request of her editor.
The incident further enflamed board critics’ existing concerns that the NAHJ leadership has lacked transparency during its two years in power.
The story unfolds in a series of tweets from @nadiacaipirinha, which hint that perhaps she was being punished for asking the wrong questions (Note: The organization in question was @NAHJ, not @NAHJSouthFL as she initially stated.)
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230423909839802369
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230441459260739584
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230435414790520832
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230436545222549504
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230440903813259265
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230738356865220608
She wasn’t the only one kicked out. @joenewsman got the boot for taking video of the proceedings, although he seemed to keep a stiff upper lip about it:
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230455312338014209
@nadiacaipirinha I've been kicked out of waay better places! Well done today. You kept your cool and made me proud. ! #unitynews #unity12
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) August 1, 2012
As a student journalist, it looks like @nadiacaipirinha did, indeed, learn something from the experience. Sadly, not what she’d hoped:
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230482511707385856
https://twitter.com/nadiacaipirinha/status/230472681454198784
Fortunately, she is getting support from her colleagues, one of whom noted that other minority journalist organizations don’t have a problem with transparency:
https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/status/230788885448372224
https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/status/230687173941264385
https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/status/230687318611214336
Look forward to @NAHJ respond to why #UNITY12 student projects' @nadiacaipirinha was unable to cover its board meeting: http://t.co/erbqSy3V
— Marissa ?? (@marissaaevans) August 1, 2012
RT @WesleyLowery: @nadiacaipirinha Glad you live tweeted struggles to cover #NAHJ meeting. Fact that they kicked you out is unacceptable
— NABJDigital (@NABJDigital) August 1, 2012
The NAHJ now says that social media was banned for legal reasons:
#NABJ board member @bobbutler7 at #unity12 #NAHJ board meeting. Said @NAHJ prez @michelesalcedo banned social media on lawyer's advice. SMH
— NABJDigital (@NABJDigital) August 1, 2012
No explanation as to why that wasn’t made clear at the outset, so as to avoid foreseeable and preventable controversy.
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