By Hunter Walker 8/06/12 7:32pm

The Fourth Estate

Times photographer Robert Stolarik and a police officer at an Occupy Wall Street protest last December. (Photo: YouTube)

Police And Paper Have Conflicting Stories After Photographer Allegedly Beaten And Arrested in The Bronx

According to the NYPD, New York Times photographer Robert Stolarik “violently resisted” being arrested Saturday night and “inadvertently struck” an officer after he got too close to police who were dealing with another suspect. Mr. Stolarik and Times attorney George Freeman dispute this account and claim he was kicked and beaten by the police after simply attempting to do his job. After a long winter that was filled with clashes between New York City’s press and police at Occupy Wall Street, Mr. Freeman told The Politicker this incident shows the NYPD has failed on its promise not to interfere with those who cover the news on city streets. As for, Mr. Stolarik, he just wants to get his cameras and press pass back. Read More

By Hunter Walker 3/15/12 1:38pm

Media Relations

Ray Kelly (Photo: Getty)

NYPD Head Ray Kelly: ‘I Think We Have a Good Relationship With The Press’

After the arrest of reporters during the Occupy Wall Street protests, the NYPD took a lot of heat from elected officials and media groups. The Occupy incidents also sparked criticism of the department’s media credentialing procedures in this publication and elsewhere, but Commissioner Ray Kelly doesn’t think the NYPD has problems with the press.

“I think we’re doing well. I think we have a good relationship with the press,” Mr. Kelly said in response to a question from The Politicker during a Q&A with reporters following his appearance before the City Council Public Safety Committee this morning. Read More

By Hunter Walker 12/28/11 4:13pm

’90s Nostalgia

Mayor Bloomberg speaking at the 1998 National Press Foundation Awards dinner. (Photo: CSpan)

In Vintage ’98 Footage, Mayor Bloomberg Praises Press and Predicts Media Meltdown

In the last two months, Mayor Bloomberg’s relationship with the media has become increasingly rocky as he drew criticism from news organizations and press advocacy groups for arresting reporters and restricting press access at the Occupy Wall Street protests. But before he was taking heat for his treatment of the press, Mayor Bloomberg was a media mogul who vigorously defended the rights of journalists.

In a nearly fourteen year old clip unearthed by The Politicker from CSpan’s voluminous archives, Mayor Bloomberg, who was at the time CEO the news company he founded, Bloomberg L.P., praised journalists as a global force for justice against evil politicians. He also gave a remarkably prescient prediction of the coming layoffs and technological changes facing the media. “We journalists are the ones that did bring down the evil empire, we are the ones charged with watching the watchers, we are the ones that opened China, we are the ones that have stopped genocide and starvation in many places in the world,” Mayor Bloomberg said. Read More