Transgendered Candidate Banned From Public Debate

 

For Immediate Release from www.UNbanned.org
Date: August 8th, 2006 Tuesday
Contact: Jean Batronie
Phone:  813-495-2171
Email: jeanbatronie@yahoo.com

    The first ever Transgendered Candidate for Hillsborough County Commission District 4 Jean Batronie has been banned from participating in a live on air public debate on Bright house networks public access channel 20 that was set for August 9, 2006 on the COUNTY SUPPORTED cable access show called Voice of Pride.
    According to Jean, “I was contacted by a Guest Coordinator for the show, and was told that the Station Manager Louise Thompson did not want me to come to her private TV station for the debate.” Jean has been banned from producing a show at the station for four years. Read attachments following this press release.
    Jean and Arleen Batronie produced two shows that station operators temporarily canceled because of alleged rule violations. The Two former show producers at Hillsborough County's public access television station have sued its operators, saying their suspensions violated the First Amendment. According to Jean, “The charges that led to our suspensions were bogus and that they singled us out because the station operators did not like the content of our shows.” Cable subscribers back the station, and some of the more risque shows it runs by independent citizen producers have rankled Hillsborough commissioners - particularly Batronie's 2004 political opponent, Ronda Storms. “Anyone and everyone is welcome to come down to the station and view the records with regard to the way that these producers' suspensions were handled, and decide for themselves what they think about it," said station manager Louise Thompson.
    Back in 2001, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms was offended by some of the public access programs, and told Louise Thompson that her mind was already made up not to support funding for public access, and that she would do all she could do to get others on the commission to vote against it. Since then Speak up Tampa Bay has removed any type of programming that the public access channel major contributors the Hillsborough County Commission would find offensive. 
    According to Jean “I will file a suit against the station for breaking Chapter 97 of the Florida Code concerning appearances by political candidates, which is clearly stated in TBCN's Policies and Procedures Manual.” http://www.tbcn.org

 

Hi Jean,
    Thank you for replying to my invitation to appear on Voice of Pride -
Hillsborough County's LGBT News & Views TV show, available on TBCN
(Public Access Cable for Hillsborough County).
    Given your current status with Tampa Bay Community Network, I am being
told that you are not able to appear on our show, since the facility (TBCN)
will not allow you on the property.

Regards,
Mark W. Nash (Voice of Pride - Guest Coordinator)

 

For more info on the Hillsborough Government policies

please visit http://www.unbanned.org  & join their e-mail list today!

Just a reminder that a long time Gay and Lesbian supporter, Rick Kriseman, is running for Florida House District 53 in the September Democratic Primary, and