Prince refuses to allow media at Holland talk

That talk by Erik Prince at the Tulip Festival has been declared off limits to the press at his demand, the Holland Sentinel says, provoking a good deal of anger both from media outlets wishing to cover the event and by local officials and residents who say this request is unprecedented in the long history of the event.

“To have a kickoff event closed to the media and essentially closed to public scrutiny is totally inconsistent with the spirit of what Tulip Time should be,” Holland City Councilman Jay Peters said…

The news blackout of the traditional community gathering and kickoff to Tulip Time is unprecedented. For decades, the event has been covered by the media as the community kickoff of the festival’s first parade, featuring the governor for years and, more recently, other personalities.

“The job of a local newspaper is to be the eyes and ears of the community for those who cannot be at a public event. We would hope The Holland Sentinel would be able to report on all of Tulip Time events, including the festival opening luncheon for our readers — as we have been doing for the past eight decades of Tulip Time,” said Pete Esser, publisher of The Holland Sentinel…

Michigan Press Association legislative aide Lisa McGraw said newspapers typically help communities raise the profile of events such as Tulip Time. “In my mind it doesn’t go with the spirit of the event, which is to promote Holland and promote the festival,” she said.

It may be unprecedented but it’s hardly surprising. In fact, it’s pretty much par for the course for Prince.