Organizers ban most media outlets from covering Freedom Concert

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By Eric Schwartzberg, Staff Writer Updated 4:57 PM Friday, August 21, 2009

Nearly 10,000 people snapped up tickets for a Friday, Aug. 21, Freedom Concert at Kings Island.

However, those who wanted to view photos or watch video from the event via most local media outlets were out of luck.

Late Thursday afternoon, Aug. 20, Kings Island invited media outlets to visit the park Friday afternoon, Aug. 21, to photograph and videotape Ret. Lt. Col. Oliver North signing copies of his latest book, “American Heroes.”

Early the next morning, park officials rescinded that offer and tacked on an additional prohibition:

“As per the Freedom Alliance organization, media access for tonight’s concert will not be permitted,” park spokesman Don Helbig wrote in the e-mail.

Fox News talk radio host and television personality Sean Hannity and two of the radio stations that carry his show, WHIO and 55KRC, presented and sponsored the Kings Island concert, part of a series of such events taking place at various venues nationwide.

Hannity and North were scheduled to speak at the event and music artists Billy Ray Cyrus, the Charlie Daniels Band, Michael W. Smith and Lee Greenwood were scheduled to perform.

Proceeds from the sixth annual concert series benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, which North founded in 1990 to help the children of U.S. military personnel who died or were disabled in combat.

Contacted Friday morning for an explanation, Helbig said his initial understanding was that the park was going to be able to allow media outlets to cover North’s book signing, but not the concert itself.

“Then, last night, in a final meeting with them (organizers), they just said there wouldn’t be any media access because he (North) had an agreement... with his affiliates that guarantee they would be the exclusive media for the event,” Helbig said.

Still photography by local newspapers was allowed at the amusement park during the last Freedom Concert held there in 2007.

Freedom Alliance officials could not be reached for comment.

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