Blogger, photographer and videographer Mark Bralley has some insightful observations in a new posting about webcasting on his blog, but there’s also a big piece of news: If the Senate doesn’t start official audio and video webcasting, he’s going to do it for them.
In writing about the “poison pill” amendments added to the Senate webcasting proposal this weekend by John Sapien, D-Corrales, Bralley had this to say:
“Sapien and those who do not want video webcasting, are going to get it anyway,” he wrote. “The defeat of a reasonable bill will become a full employment act for video webcasting. Next year, instead of attending college classes, I will be lugging my video equipment to the Senate press box and provide webcast coverage of the floor.”
That won’t necessarily be something senators will like, as Bralley points out. He makes his own editorial decisions.
“All the things they fear are fair game, as my work is protected under the First Amendment. Though I am unlikely to go out of my way to make anyone look bad; it could happen,” he wrote.
Then Bralley provides a few examples in a way that’s almost presented as a threat to lawmakers. He shows an unidentified state official playing a card game on his phone during a committee hearing. He includes video of a bloviating Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, and writes this about Sanchez, a webcasting opponent:
“If he doesn’t want the Senate to be made to look bad, then maybe he shouldn’t lead the pack,” Bralley wrote.
Bralley helped get Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones’ webcasts going before the session began. And he’s been the videographer behind many of the webcasts of the Senate Rules Committee hosted by the New Mexico Independent. He’s already invested a great deal of his own time in shining light on the Legislature this year.
Bralley described himself in his posting as “a great believer in open coverage of governments.” He has demonstrated the desire and the ability to make good on his threat to provide live audio and video webcasts from the Senate floor next year.
This posting has been updated to clarify that it was another state official, not a lawmaker, playing a card game on a phone.