Pam Roach: Silent audio a misunderstanding

Re: “Clash between Roach and Talbert leads to silent audio during public meeting” (TNT, 1/25)

I spoke with Pam Roach today regarding the “silent microphones.” What was portrayed in The News Tribune about her demanding the microphones be turned off was a long way from what really happened.

Councilwoman Roach explained to me that unlike Pierce County, in the legislature, all microphones are kept on at all times. That is why she said in the video, “We are going to go back to the old way.” (Pierce County’s), specifically, all microphones are turned off until the chair turns on the microphone for whomever is recognized as having the floor. Councilman Rick Talbert refused to stop talking about how the meetings should be run even when the chair gaveled him down several times.

Whoever turned off the microphones should not have turned off council member Roach’s. When she realized that her microphone had been turned off also, she had it turned back on.

After this presidential election, there has been much discussion and many examples of bias in the media. By not reporting the whole story, The News Tribune has essentially “turned off the microphones” in order to keep the readers from knowing anything other than whatever views an editor or reporter might have.

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Pam Roach: Silent audio a misunderstanding."