“Public Relations/Communications Protocol” Submitted To The Lapdog Media Called The Echo Press By Douglas County Coordinator Bill Schalow? Newspaper's Attorney Describes Censoring As Neo-Communist Tactics? The Lapdog Media All Bark Since March 6, 2006? Neo-Commie Censors Own Lapdog's Leash?

Lest we forget. . .  right? Although it is kind of hard to forget when the same sort of criminal activity is still going on today, right?

Lion News: Echo Press Refuses To Be Watchdog & Bark About Perjurer In Peltier Murder Trial?

Lion News: Douglas Co. Deputy Says Echo Press No Longer Watch Dog -- Edenloff = Lapdog Media?

                        Douglas County Public Relations/Communications Protocol - March 6, 2006

Outlined below is the protocol Douglas County requests that you follow when developing and writing an article/story for publication regarding Douglas County business.

1. The County Coordinator is the Chief Public Relations/Communications Officer for Douglas County. All articles/stories concerning Douglas County and/or one of its offices should be submitted to the coordinator's office to be reviewed for accuracy, prior to publication.

2. Draft articles/stories should be submitted to Heather Schlangen, Human Resource Representative, Coordinator's Office, either by e-mail or hard copy for review.
3. All follow up questions regarding an article/story you may be developing should be directed to Ms. Schlangen.
4. Ms. Schlangen should be notified prior to your contacting any county department head regarding an article/story you may be developing. (Note: you may contact the following elected county department heads directly without notifying Ms. Schlangen; the County Attorney and the Sheriff. However, a draft copy of all articles should be submitted Ms. Schlangen, prior to publication).
5. Documents handed out at board meetings are available at no charge. However, any other requests for data or documents will be made under the Minnesota Data Practice Act and shall be requested from Ms. Schlangen. There will be a charge for reproducing such data and documents.
6. If you have a need to interview any member of the County Board or the County Coordinator, your request should be made (written or verbally) to Ms. Schlangen and she will make the necessary arrangements for such interview.
7. All statements made during a Board meeting (or any public meeting) are quotable. However, when conducting an interview with any county employee, you should inform them employee of your intentions to quote them at the time of the interview.
8. Ms. Schlangen is not an authorized spokesperson for Douglas County, and therefore, she is not quotable. Ms. Schlangen is only authorized to locate and provide information you may need.

This procedure was designed to minimize the possibility of erroneous information getting out to the public. It also facilitates keeping the county board informed as to which business items are going to be published.

If this procedure is followed, it will help eliminate the unnecessary and time consuming phone calls published errors generate, and the county's need to demand retractions and corrections. It is a procedure that is mutually beneficial to the county and Echo press.

The county has generally enjoyed a good working relationship with the Echo Press, and on the whole the experience has been positive. However, this request to “tighten up” the communication process has been precipitated by a few stories being published without the county's prior knowledge and the quoting of officer's outside of the board room without their knowledge.

Although this incidents did not cause major distractions for the county, they did generate concern.

Since this is somewhat of a departure from the way we have been operating, I will give you the opportunity to voice any concern or objection you may have about this procedure. I will do what I can to accommodate your concerns or objections. Please notify me as soon as possible. If I do not hear from you, I will assume that you will comply with the protocol outlined above and it will be the accepted and expected communications procedure beginning Tuesday, March 7, 2006. I must inform you, however, that if you willfully ignore or fail to cooperate and comply, without contacting me first regarding your concerns, your actions could result in a total “gag” and limit your interaction with the county to the coordinator's office only.

I appreciate your cooperation and my office looks forward to a continued positive and mutually beneficial relationship.

Respectively,

William B. Schalow
Douglas County Coordinator
March 6, 2006

Stuck in the middle with you March 14, 2006 – The bronze: Bill Schalow, county coordinator of Douglas County, Minnesota. He's apologized for this, for telling the local newspaper, the Springfield Echo Press, that henceforth all its stories about the count had to be submitted to him for fact-checking and approval, and or no county official would ever speak to the paper again. Somewhere some exec at Fox News is snapping his fingers and saying “Shucks!” The Worst Person In the World: And 202 Strong Contenders by Keith Olbermann. 1st edition, September 1, 2007.

Schalow said he used an old policy he wrote in the 1990s when he worked in Pope County during an employee strike. Schalow said he was responding to officials who had various complaints about the paper's coverage of the county. "What caused me to change my mind was the level and severity of the reaction," he said. "My approach was terribly, terribly wrong. This is a small town. I see these people in the grocery store. This has been very uncomfortable. I just want it to be over." Official’s attempt to gag newspaper fails in Douglas County. Associated Press. Post-Bulletin. March 14, 2006. page 6A.

"I was shocked," Edenloff said. "I thought it was the most ridiculous document I'd ever read. ... We do not need our stories to be pre-authorized, prearranged or sanitized. We're the watchdogs, not them." County plan to gag paper ignites opposition in Alexandria. 11:45 AM, Mar 13, 2006. KARE 11 TV.

His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Isaiah 56:10-11 King James Version (KJV)

After exchanging angry words with Schalow in a phone call, Edenloff called Mark Anfinson, the attorney for the Minnesota Newspaper Association, and asked his opinion. A flabbergasted Anfinson told Edenloff the protocol appeared to violate both the First Amendment and Minnesota's open records statutes. "This is something you would have expected to see behind the Iron Curtain," Anfinson said. "I told [Edenloff] that the best remedy for this would be a story, that it wouldn't stand the light of day." It didn't, Schalow admits. County leaders, some alarmed to see the specifics of the protocol for the first time, said they didn't support it. The public was incensed. Schalow backed off. Douglas County's attempt to muzzle press hits buzz saw of opposition – A Douglas County official learned how much local residents value a free press when he issued a policy that he would screen stories in the local paper. Larry Oakes, Star Tribune. Last update: March 12, 2006. 9:58 PM.

In 2014, with the same lapdog media, we have the same song different verse, right?

He [Mao] stated that the method of persuasion could be only used on workers. Others must be forced: “Benevolence for the people, dictatorship for the enemies of the people.” There is a genuine propaganda effort for those who can be integrated; the others are eliminated. It follows that “discussion-criticism-unity” is a method that operates only within a limited circle, on the basis of common presuppositions and without questioning the common interests. Jacques Ellul, “Propaganda": The Formation of Men's Attitudes” (New York: 1973) Page 309.

 That's right, isn't it?

Removing a sentence from a resolution was central to Douglas County Commissioner Dan Olson flipping his support for a resolution he voted against two weeks ago. During last Tuesday’s county board meeting, commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of a resolution that supports proposed legislation that would “allow counties to publish certain public notices on their websites instead of, or in addition to, in an official newspaper.” Just two weeks ago, during their February 4 meeting, commissioners voted 2-3, failing to support the resolution. County vote changes on public notices By Amy Chaffins. Osakis Review on Feb 26, 2014 at 12:00 a.m.

The Pope County Commissioners sadly signed on to a resolution recently that is being pushed by the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) that supports state legislation that would allow counties to stop publishing public notices in newspapers. Instead, the notices and/or proceedings would be placed on the county’s website. We believe that is a big mistake for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it puts the county in control of its own information and where and when that information is published. In other words, it forces the public to go to a government-controlled website to learn what that government unit is up to. Let the public take notice! Editorial by – Tim Douglass. The Rag Called The Pope County Tribune. February 18, 2014.

lap dog n. Informal   One eager to do another's bidding, especially in order to maintain a position of privilege or favor: "a bunch of intellectual lap dogs for anybody who holds a big job in government" (Mike Barnicle). http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lap+dog

The county board voted 4-1 to pass the resolution supporting the proposed legislation, with Commisioners Lindor, Kittelson, Gerde and Wagner voting in favor and Commissioner Cody Rogahn voting against. A preliminary hearing on SF 1152 could be held as early as Feb. 26. County board supports state legislation for public notices to be online only By Deb Mercier News Editor. The Rag Called The Pope County Tribune. February 11. 2014.

Lion News: Pope County Bans Audio & Video Recording -- It Interferes With Their Criminal Activity?

As of Jan. 21, no unauthorized video cameras or audio recording devices will be permitted in county-owned buildings. That was the policy decision made by commissioners at their Jan. 21 board meeting. The policy approved by the board follows the approach used by Douglas County, according to County Coordinator Jim Thoreen. The intent is to make sure there is protection throughout any county building, it was stated. County Attorney Neil Nelson said, “Any time you’re going to put regulations on public property you need to have a reason to do so.” That being said, Nelson told commissioners there’s no question that Minnesota statute would allow the board to put regulations in place to allow the county to conduct business freely and safely. New rules in place for audio and video recording at county buildings By Deb Mercier News Editor. The Rag Called The Pope County Tribune. January 28, 2014.