The president of the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) has urged Oregon lawmakers to reject a bill that would bar broadcasters from airing 911 calls. In her letter to Gov. John Kitzhaber and state senators, Barbara Cochran said that the proposed law “would serve only to erode the role of the press as an effective check on the power vested in law enforcement agencies.” While advocates of the proposed law cite privacy concerns, Cochran commented that “any benefit to be attained through the denial of access to 911 tapes is clearly outweighed by the public interest in monitoring government activities.”
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