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Senate Inquiry “Paying The Press?”
posted (September 20, 2017)
The Senate Special Select Committee conducting the inquiry into immigration Irregularities is pushing for total transparency in immigration affairs. But it hasn't been operating by that same standard. We say that because last week, the Business Senator let it slip that his brother Pete's cable company, CCV was being paid one thousand five hundred dollars per session of the hearings to broadcast the event exclusively on his cable network. Now, they do a fine job - even if only their subscribers and those of their affiliates - which is about 75% of the country can see it. But, fair is fair, $1,500 per session is far below the market rate - basically, they're doing it on the cheap. But, the facts remain, no other media house was asked to bid, and as a general rule, no one else gets paid to cover meetings in the National Assembly building.

And besides all that, weren't we all told in September that the business Senator's brother was not being paid to cover the meetings? That's what PUP Senior Senator Eamon Courtney said after the UDP Guardian printed otherwise:...

Hon. Eamon Courtenay, PUP Senator
"The toilet paper called the Guardian said that Senator Lizarraga sought to have his brother's company benefit from televising the proceedings. That also is a lie and the public record should know that Senator Lizarraga made no such request."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga, Business Senator
"I make $130 every time I come here. That's for my fuel and my time. They feed us a plate of food. Other than that we pay the press. The broadcasting is like $1,500 a session. So it's not outrageous."

We note that KREM Radio is also paid to broadcast the senate Hearings live, but that was offered to both KREM and LOVE FM, and the lower bid won out.

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