Ticket Camera Bias Uncovered At The Orlando Sentinel

August 12th, 2008 Posted in

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To stay informed on the latest news about issues important to National Motorists Association members, we keep tabs on multiple news sources around the country. Because of our strong opposition to red light ticket cameras, we monitor news on this topic very thoroughly.

Over the past couple years, we’ve noticed a suspicious number of ticket camera editorials by the Orlando Sentinel. After looking more closely, we noticed that nearly every editorial in the Sentinel was strongly in favor of installing ticket cameras. Furthermore, we noticed that nearly every pro-camera article was written by one member of the Sentinel’s Editorial Board, George Diaz.

This seemed odd, so we decided to look into it further.

After some quick research, we discovered that George Diaz appeared at a symposium held by The National Campaign To Stop Red Light Running in late 2007.

As we covered on this blog previously, the organization is simply a front for corporate special interests — specifically the red light camera industry. It is directly funded by RedFlex, Affiliated Computer Systems (ACS), and Gatso — all red light ticket camera vendors.

This corporate special interest group even describes Mr. Diaz as “the paper’s point man on editorials pushing for red light camera legislation in Florida“.

At the symposium, George Diaz moderated a panel — “Legislative Advocacy — Answering Critics” (PDF - Page 3) — which was intended to promote ways to shut down criticism of red light ticket cameras.

These are just some of the ticket camera articles on the Sentinel website from the past two years:

Give Green To Red Light Cameras (January 2007)
Give Green To Red Light Cameras (February 2007 - Identical to January Article)
Green Light To Red Light Cameras (April 2007)
Orange County: Say Yes To Red Light Cameras (June 2007)
Kudos To City on Red Light Cameras (June 2007)
Red Light Cameras: Make drivers feel the pain (March 2008)
We think: Orange County needs to be street-smart and approve red-light cameras (August 2008)

It’s important to note that these are not balanced articles. On the contrary, they all read like public relations blasts written by the camera companies.

Regardless of whether or not you support ticket cameras, this is a clear breach of the Orlando Sentinel’s Editorial Code of Ethics:

“Editorial staffers should not have membership in, any financial relationship with, or other ties to a business or institution if they have regular and continuing influence over any aspect of coverage of the organization. They should avoid situations in which their activities in connection with any group or cause could be perceived as influencing what the Sentinel publishes or broadcasts.”

And:

“When conflicts of interest are unavoidable but not obvious to readers, they should be disclosed in the story.”

The next time you read an article from the Orlando Sentinel, keep this situation in mind.

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  1. 9 Responses to “Ticket Camera Bias Uncovered At The Orlando Sentinel”

  2. By Joseph Stafford on Sep 23, 2008

    I deliver auto parts from Orlando to Largo and locally in Pinellas County. I drive 40 hours per week, 2000 hours per year, or roughly 60,000 miles per year. I have no accidents and no moving violations. My company just received one of those tickets in the mail from Orlando. It was from 8 days ago. I had to really think hard about how it could happen. I finally remembered. I was sitting in the left turn lane behind a semi. I couldn’t see the light. When the truck started to proceed through the intersection, I followed him and then he started to drive real slow. By the time I could see the signal it was red and I was in the middle of the intersection cussing out the truck driver to myself. If I had sat in the turn lane until I could see the signal, the guy behind me would blowing his horn and calling that 800 number on the back of the van to tell my boss I was sleeping at an intersection.

  3. By Dale on Aug 24, 2008

    For an objective and unbiased synopsis of the comprehensive studies on Red-Light Cameras, visit http://www.TNLiberty.org. This site will quickly expand your insight into the well-researched issues without having to slog through the lengthy research reports. Of course, if you wish to check the details, the appropriate links are provided.

    I particularly recommend reading the following articles on that site.

    * Red-Light Cameras: The Good, The Bad, and The Uncertain
    * The Placebo Effect and Red-Light Cameras
    * RLCs: Engineering vs. Enforcement
    * Biasing RLC Studies

    And, under the TLA Blog tab:

    * Excellent 2004 TX Study to Understand Red-Light Running
    * RLCs Do Not Guaranty Reduced Accident Rates
    *Compelling 2007 Compendium on Photo-Radar and RLCs

  4. By George on Aug 24, 2008

    http://www.ridelust.com/red-light-cameras-just-dont-work/

  5. By Henry on Aug 19, 2008

    It is easy to cherry pick results that fit the argument. It is even easier for newspapers to print skewed data from cities who have a vested interest in promoting automated traffic enforcement. The fact is, independent research shows that red light cameras increase crashes, injuries and fatalities where they are used.

    Independent studies would include North Carolina A&T University where researchers conclude that they are a “detriment to safety.” University of South Florida researchers examined the studies from different groups and found problems with the research. Perhaps Randy should read this report.

    http://thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2008/fl-orban.pdf

    In addition, cities installing red light cameras skew the violation rates to get the results that they want. San Diego has been known to reduce camera trigger grace periods to increase violations. Seven out of 10 intersections in Dallas have yellow light times below ITE minimum recommended standards.

    A citizens committee in Lubbock, TX has removed their red light cameras due to a 52 percent increase in collisions at red lights.

    Studies released by cities alone have about as much validity as a comic book. If you read independent studies by unbiased sources, you will find that the statement that “red light cameras save lives” is like saying the earth is flat.

  6. By Bill on Aug 14, 2008

    After reading through some of the other comments that you’ve written on this blog, I’m going to take my cue from others and ignore your ramblings.

    One “parting shot”:
    http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/red-light-cameras-biggest-supporters/

  7. By Randy on Aug 14, 2008

    You are right Bill I miss the point 100%. Do you mean that a moderator of the presidential debates has conflicts of interest also. Where can you see in the code of ethics that he was even close to stepping over the line. He specializes in public safety issues according to his bio for the symposium shown below. In such a position he should be at the events. He also acted as a Moderator. The last I knew a moderator is only there to see that things are run in an organized way and to allow the panalists to have their time to answer questions.

    As for cigarette smoking, if there was a symposium for eliminating people smoking in public areas to increase public safety then he should also be at such an event.

    You are right in that if he was fighting against public safety there should be an uproar because he is supposed to be for public safety.

    I would recommend reading the pdf that has a link above and go to the link that they talk about in the pdf that shows what the symposium was all about.

    Panel III: Legislative Advocacy — Answering Critics

    MODERATOR:
    George Diaz, Orlando Sentinel Editorial Writer. George is a senior editorial writer and columnist with The Orlando Sentinel. He joined the Sentinel Editorial Board in July of 2006, after a career in sports. He specializes in Latin American issues, immigration, social services, public safety, pop culture and sports. He has been the paper’s point man on editorials pushing for red light camera legislation in Florida. He also writes a local and state column and an op-ed piece once a week. Born in Havana, George immigrated with his father, mother and two sisters and settled in Miami. He graduated from the University of Florida’s School of Journalism in 1978, and worked at The Miami Herald and Cincinnati Post before joining The Orlando Sentinel sports department in 1989.

    PANELISTS:

    Brad Neighbor, City Attorney for Garland, Texas
    Ann Sweet, National Spokesperson, National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running & Survivor Advocate
    Leslie Blakey, National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running
    Jeff Agnew, representing the Virginia Photo Red Coalition. Click here to see his presentation.

  8. By Bill on Aug 14, 2008

    Randy,

    You’re missing the point.

    If a newspaper writer appeared at an industry event sponsored by The Society For Better Lung Health and he moderated a panel called “Legislative Advocacy - Answering Critics”, a panel that offers ways to shut down criticism of cigarettes, and it turned out that the event and the organization itself was funded by the tobacco companies, people would be outraged.

    Especially if that newspaper columnist wrote article after article pushing for fewer regulations on the tobacco companies.

    Your response assumes that the NCTSRL’s goal is to stop red light running. From what I’ve read, clearly isn’t the case.

  9. By Randy on Aug 13, 2008

    You have to be kidding. What is your point? They got someone in the news to moderate a panel that had similar views. You have to be kidding that it means anything. Talk about bias. Making someone think that this is meaningfull must be the most biased person there is. Would you rather have someone moderate with no name and who has no views on anything? The larger part of what you should be talking about is what was in the pdf that you had a link to.

    By a margin of 11 to 1, leading research studies reviewed for the Focus on
    Safety guide confirm that photo enforcement reduces crashes and saves lives
    (See page 6 for information on how to order the guide).
    ! I n C o l u m b u s , O h i o , t h e n u m b e r o f r e d l i g h t r u n n e r s c a u g h t a t t h e c i t y ’ s f i r s t t w o
    intersections with cameras dropped from 1,684 violators in March 2006 to 477
    i n August 2006, a 71% decrease. Note: No rear-end crashes during those six
    months and only one crash at either intersection.
    ! A 2006 study of the red light camera program in Garland, Texas, found crashes
    caused by red light runners decreased by 56% at intersections with cameras;
    crashes at intersections without cameras decreased by 38%.
    ! Ventura, California, has seen red light running crashes drop 80% at
    intersections with cameras and a 29% reduction in red light running crashes
    a c r o s s t h e c i t y.

  10. By Stephen on Aug 12, 2008

    You guys should do a press release on this to all the papers of Florida!

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