High School state championships: Sale of video/photos banned in AZ

[zonazonazona]

Can anyone shed some light on their thoughts of this... We all "signed" this agreement, but I can't help but think it's bush league, especially where they talk about how the AIA owns all photos of state championship events... Just looking for some opinions here... We sell photos


Sent on behalf of Chuck Schmidt, Chief Operations Officer of the AIA:

In recent days the Arizona Interscholastic Association, Inc. (AIA) has had a concern brought to its attention regarding the policy on the sale of still and video images that are captured during the gathering of AIA event news footage. As I prepare this note to all media outlets, please understand that the AIA strongly supports the efforts of the media to cover AIA athletic events and promoting the accomplishments of high school students, coaches, teachers, administrators, member schools and districts.

In sending media personnel to AIA events and activities, we understand that a media organization’s main purpose is to responsibly and accurately cover the event or activity. At the same time, we understand that media organizations not only exist to provide this coverage but also to cover operating expenses and generate a profit just as it is the AIA’s responsibility to provide safe and first-class state championship experiences for its participating schools in all events. In addition, we realize how important it is to have the media strongly involved in helping the AIA achieve its goals with these events.

Over the past nine years the AIA has worked very hard to provide access to the media, timely information, an open line of communication and support for the media’s efforts. This while balancing the need to control the environment for safety and contractual obligations.

In working toward controlling the issues regarding emerging media organizations and modes of distribution, in relationship to the issue of still photo and video images being for sale, the AIA in the 2005-2006 academic years instituted the current policy in question. This policy allows a media organization to cover the event for its readers or viewers with a written or even a pictorial (still or video) in all media formats. The AIA in no way is looking to inhibit or prohibit the distribution of still and/or video images for coverage purposes or if provided to students and their families for free, memorializing the event.

The reasoning behind this policy allows the AIA to provide a safe and first class environment for all stakeholders involved in the experience. This policy allows the AIA to control the resale and distribution of AIA event images, which are AIA’s property on behalf of the AIA member schools.

In conclusion, as we move forward please contact our office with any questions or concerns regarding AIA events and/or this policy. We value the relationships we have created with the media outlets throughout the state and hope to create additional bridges in our partnerships to provide a safe and first class state tournament experience.

 

[Angola!]

Illinois did something similar:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/52503/

 

[shotglass]

And today's word, kids, is "control."

 

[Ace]

So why did you sign it?

I love how it says that media is trying to profit but the AIA is just trying to provide a safe environment. :

 

[slappy4428]

So why did you sign it?

I love how it says that media is trying to profit but the AIA is just trying to provide a safe environment. :

Safe from those bad old money grubbing newspapers. only state associations should be allowed to grub money.

 

[zonazonazona]

So why did you sign it?

I love how it says that media is trying to profit but the AIA is just trying to provide a safe environment. :

you're point is pretty valid, about why did we sign it. i'm sure i'm going to get royally chastized for saying this, but it's the truth... we're a smaller paper in a large phoenix market, and at the time of signing the document, fighting it didn't seem all that reasonable...

the AIA's initial statement, which we signed, mentioned ONLY state championship events. While that is vague (do they mean the entire 16-team playoff tournament, or only the final round or two at the "big buildings"), we figured "ok, so we can't sell anything from one game our teams may or may not make it to?"

But after reading that most recent e-mail, am I right to wonder if they're referring to ALL "events" (regular season included)... and isn't there a part where he mentioned the AIA "owning" rights to the photos?

That was never in the initial contract...

 

[Football_Bat]

Without newspapers, who the hell is the AIA going to sell stills to?

A dozen moms?

 

[lone star scribe]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: We need to fight back back against these money-grubbing state associations. We're trying to bring newspapers into the 21st century with online photo galleries, etc, and they're trying to force us back into the 19th. We own the photos we shoot at a sports event.

If you're a photographer, refuse to sign ANYTHING without explicit instructions from your management and/or lawyers. If they refuse you a credential, buy a ticket and shoot from the stands. We have the upper hand here. Media photographers refused to shoot LPGA events when that tour tried to pull this crap. If we decline to cover the events, the state associations will cave.