Occupy the Rose Parade: 5,000 Protesters, Giant Octopus Fail to Make Live TV

[pinboy3niner]

Source: L.A. Weekly

By Simone Wilson Mon., Jan. 2 2012 at 12:00 PM


Apparently the 70-foot octopus float carried by an estimated 5,000 Occupy L.A. protesters at the end of today's Rose Parade wasn't awesome enough for KTLA, the premiere local station covering the event.

Reporters gushed over marching bands, floral arrangements and even a police horse brigade led by LAPD Chief Charlie Beck. But after float No. 43 had passed the finish line, the cameras shut off.

...


A contributing factor to the Occupy snub may have been that occupiers' intentions today weren't all feel-good. More than just another general anti-bankster protest on a national stage, the Rose Parade demonstration was an occupation of the popular Pasadena event itself.

...


Organizer Mark Lipman told City News that "the march would spotlight the role Wells Fargo Bank -- a Rose Parade sponsor -- had in the home foreclosure crisis."

KTLA also notoriously shut off aerial coverage of the LAPD raid of Occupy L.A. in the wee hours of December 1, so as not to screw with police strategy.


http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/01/occupy_the_rose_parade_5000_protesters_giant_octopus_fail_to_make_live_tv.php

[msongs]

1. "live tv" has contracts with the rose parade tightly controlling what can be shown and said probably

[brooklynite]

2. Has the TOR Parade coverage ever included coverage of the trailing protestors?

My understanding is that this happens almost every year. The Parade is considered entertainment rather than news.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

3. that will not stop people from claiming it was purely to spite OWS tho nt