Editorial: Sports group cannot control the news

The Navajo Hopi Observer is a community newspaper. We cover news and events in the area that our readers can't get elsewhere.

Beyond local government, features and people happenings, news about our children participating in sports is part of "community." It showcases their efforts to compete, improve and excel.

Unfortunately, the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) - the agency that organizes high school athletics in the state - wants to control how we cover our children's events.

The AIA, through its credentialing agreement, is demanding the copyright of what we produce at its events. This includes photos and video. It says its demands are to keep students safe from those who would exploit their images by posting them on unsavory Web sites.

That is admirable; however, AIA officials believe that because they organize the events, such as regional playoffs and state championships, they own the work we create at the events.

What that means is we would not be allowed, for example, to sell reprints of photos or any other material we generate - even to the families of the athletes.

The Navajo Hopi Observer is fighting these credentialing rules, which would inevitably force the newspaper to pay to produce the news - with the AIA saying that the content "shall be deemed the sole property of the AIA." Also fighting this is the Arizona Newspapers Association (ANA), which represents 127 newspapers in the state.

We believe this is a violation of our rights and could deprive our community of the news coverage it deserves.

It's not all about the students and Web sites; for the AIA it's about money. The AIA says that newspapers can give away photos to the public, but if we charge a fee, the AIA wants a piece of the pie.

We will not stand for such strong-arm tactics. It's not only about business, it also is about community.

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