The first amendment to the constitution of the United States reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”  The courts have, predictably, broken this single, run-on sentence into its component parts.

• Religion
• Speech
• The Press
• Assembly
• Redress

Each of these parts has seen egregious attacks, and excessive defenses over the years.  My observation today has to do with the press. 

It has been an open secret for many years that ski resorts in Colorado, and one would suppose elsewhere, spin the weather reports to favor snow.   They find ways to overstate snowfall without actually lying about it.  One can hardly blame them; snow translates directly into revenue. For example, after a recent snowstorm, Vail Resorts told the media that it had shut down its headquarters because of heavy snow. They didn’t mention that those offices are in low country, 75 miles from its closest slopes. The slopes were warm and sunny that day.  It’s probably harmless.  Still, Bob Berwyn, a reporter for Summit Daily News, had the temerity to write, “I sometimes wonder whether the ski industry wouldn’t benefit more from being completely transparent about weather and snowfall with its customers, but when snow equals money, perhaps that’s expecting too much.”

The Vail Resorts called the editor.  The editor told the reporter that he had, “a lot of groveling to do.”  The reporter didn’t grovel.  The reporter is currently looking for work.

We regularly defend the right of any reporter to say anything he or she wants as long as it’s true, and without malice.  We protect reporters even when they knowingly violate national security by reporting things that give aid, comfort, and valuable intelligence to our enemies.  Just don’t irritate an advertiser. 

With the business world arguably posing as large a threat to national security as any enemy, I believe it’s time to reign in the power of corporations to shape the news in their favor.  The problem is, I see no workable way to do that.  If any of you have a solution, let me know.

Tags: Bob Berwyn, Summit Daily News, Vail