WIAA sues Gannett, Wisconsin Newspaper Association

... for infringing on its exclusive media ownership rights.

The lawsuit was set in motion after The Appleton Post-Crescent presented a live webcast Nov. 8 on the newspaper's Web site, postcrescent.com, of a playoff football game between Appleton North and Stevens Point in Stevens Point, home of the WIAA.

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090305/APC0101/903050491/1979?GID=m7E5ikywKQTTtbaSWtxsgh2uI8mR5S0P1T1lHCYVqqo%3D

 

Wasn't the Appleton Post-Crescent under the direction of whathisname the SE that everyone hates on here at that time? The guy who went to Huntsville or Montgomery or somewhere in 'Bama?

 

Furthermore, wasn't the WIAA the body that refused to let newspapers publish photos of its events?

Seems like a match made in heaven.

 

Did Brad Zimanek leave? I thought he was the SE there. Really good guy, in my opinion.

 

release the hounds!

 

There will be no releasing of the hounds. Either discuss the topic at hand, or walk away from this thread.

 

Not sure about Wisconsin, but I know the Illinois HS Association refused to issue press credentials recently due to a spat over online photo resales.

Someone needs to take these arrogant statewide H.S. association officials aside and remind them their organization's events are aided greatly by newspapers and other media.

They need us more than we need them!

 

The WIAA wanted papers to sign a form which said that any photos taken were held under the rights of the WIAA and could not be sold (i.e. to the parents and grandparents of the kids). As far as I know, no one signed the paper, but everyone still came and took pictures (with no repercussions). In fact, I believe the policy still is "on paper" although just ignored.

Live webcast might be tricky territory since the WIAA does farm out its games to a cable outlet, but this lawsuit extends further to the actual coverage of a game, whether by a live blog, audio, etc.

(Although this webcast featured two public schools - i.e. funded by taxpayers; shouldn't they have the say in this, not the WIAA?)

 

I'm pretty sure the photo issue was in Illinois, not Wisconsin.

If the WIAA has awarded video rights for its tournament to another entity then the paper will lose this suit.

 

No, it happened in Wisconsin too:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/29301634.html

 

Should have known better than to question you on anything related to the Cheese Nation.

 

I can't hear you ... I have hunks of gouda lodged in my ears.