We regret not being able to attend this marching band festival in Illinois, as the actions of officials at Illinois State University, Normal, have impeded our ability to provide adequate coverage. We will not do a mediocre job on our coverage, and we regret this unfortunate turn of events.
It is our opinion that this event is newsworthy, as it provides a firsthand source to show how dozens of schools and districts spend funding provided through the state of Illinois and the federal government. It therefore deserves exceptional coverage by an independent press. Officials at Illinois State, however, have expressed a different opinion, which we believe to be in violation of the First Amendment and recent decisions in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which covers Illinois, and the Supreme Court case of Zacchini v. Scripps–Howard Broadcasting Co., 433 U.S. 562 (1977)..
In denying our independent coverage of this newsworthy event, the actions of Illinois State University are a disservice to the people of Illinois and to music education. It is illogical to complain, on the one hand, that there’s too much coverage for football and not enough for band and then support, on the other hand, organizations that impede good coverage. But we did find some coverage for people who are interested in something other than the Constitution or music education. 🙂
The Bloomington Pantagraph has an after-the-fact story, here, about the marching band festival that took place at Hancock Stadium Saturday, along with 11 pictures in a gallery, including two from Marian Catholic and nine from Bloomington-area bands that took part.
Results will be posted on ISU’s band site, here, on about Monday, Oct 14, according to the website.
In addition to some reporting by independent news organizations, a professional video was made of the event by Box 5 Media, here. Prices range from $25 for a single band to $105 for an entire class, depending on the size of the class.
