[Land-speed] Media Passes...

[drmayf]

Tis is not a bitch but a question of curiosity and some thoughts..

The photographer, Tim Scott, located in London, came to the salt 
andobtained a media pass.  Now, I have no idea what constitues the 
requirements to get such a pass and I am not in that business, but it 
seems to me that the words, MEDIA PASS, convey some kind of reporting 
function. That could either be television, or print in the form of news 
papers or magazines or what ever. Something that gets a story out to the 
public and fans. But when should a media pass be given to a person or 
company who instead of reporting uses the data  for non media reporting 
monetary gains? As I said, I don't give out the passes but it sure seems 
to me that there should be some kind of ground rules associated with 
them. Such as the use requires that free reporting actually be done! 
Like when a news team shows up and they take video or stills they 
generally make them available to the public for free over the air waves. 
Or in news print. Or magazones. Are there rules as to who gets these 
critters? Here is a scenario... what if a person with such a pass and 
with basically free access to just about anywhere took pictures of, say 
the Ford 999 H2 car and its inner workings,  last summer and then sold 
the photos to a rival company?  Seems like that could happen. All in the 
guiseof " well he had a media pass.."... In the highly competitive world 
of racing (well, no, not in my case, lol) photographs of certain 
features of a vehicle's characteristics could be sold to someone who 
could duplicate the feature.

I guess, I am wondering if there are rules of conduct placed on those 
folk who are given free passes? Such as you have to identify yourself, 
state the purpose of the photographs or video and at least get verbal 
authorization to take photos or record the video?  That just seems to be 
minimally invasive to the reporter.

By the way, I sent another message to the photographer, Tim Scott,  who 
took a lot of pictures of our vehicles and made it clear that should he 
return, he would be welcomed at my place  if he followed some very minor 
rules of conduct just like I mentioned above.  He can come to my pit and 
chat with me, tell me what he would like to take pictures of and what he 
will be doing with them and most likely I will agree to just about all 
requests. Ahead of time.

In cases where the media pass is given to a company or private 
individual who's intent is to take video, stills or what ever and sell 
them as a way of earning a living perhaps that pass should be paid for 
by the user?  And then apply the use rules or common courtesy such as 
who, what when wher and how the media will be used?

I am not against a person making a buck or two, just seems like they 
need to follow some simple rules of operation.

Just my 2 cents worth...

That doesn't seem like too much to ask does it?

mayf