CNN was riding its high horse tonight as two representatives took UNLV journalism students on a tour of the Democratic Presidential Debate set up at our Cox Pavilion at the Thomas & Mack Stadium on our campus.
The tour turned out to be disappointing, not only for students, but also for faculty members.
One aspect of the so-called “tour” that made the lack of entrance into the actual debate hall even worse, was the pompous attitudes of the two CNN spokeswomen.
After quickly viewing the spin room from the doorway and walking past the location for television “standup” opportunities, the tour gathered by the stairs leading below ground to what will be the national media filing room.
The tour ended here, but the discussion did not.
Ardyth Sohn, director of the Greenspun College of Journalism and Media Studies, asked repeatedly that the students be taken back inside and given a glimpse of the hall where the debate will take place Thursday.
Bridget Leiinger, a CNN spokeswoman didn’t budge, saying such a tour would “interrupt a rehearsal.”
Sohn urged her to reconsider on behalf of the students, gallantly adding “it wouldn’t be wise to upset the students.”
“We also don’t want to piss-off the New York Times,” retorted Carolyn Disbrow, a CNN spokeswoman. She later said her remarks, made in front of the crowd of more than a dozen students and faculty journalists, were not for the record.
Several students remained behind, including two broadcast journalism students who were intently trying to gain access to debate coverage. The CNN spokeswoman seemed annoyed.
“No one is allowed to tape the debate, other than CNN,” Disbrow said. “Even though it’s a UNLV building, it’s a CNN workspace.”
Discussions about the Secret Service, the security sweep, the undisclosed entrance of the candidates and credentials for access, brought the conversation to a close.
So the fact that CNN is on UNLV’s campus doesn’t seem to matter.
How about the fact that UNLV students are tomorrow’s generation. The future president may reside at UNLV.
Is that credential enough?
Probably not for CNN.
