Photographers restricted at finals

The Illinois High School Association on Saturday restricted photojournalists' access to record the state cheerleading championships in Bloomington in an ongoing dispute over who controls the use of photos taken at such events.

Photographers, including the Daily Herald's, were told they could not have access to the field where the event was taking place at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum unless they signed an agreement that the photos they took would not be sold.

The Daily Herald, along with a number of other newspapers that regularly cover high school sports, refused to sign the agreement.

Photographers who were denied access attempted to document the athletes' competition from a distance in the stands.

Saturday's denial of access was the second time this school year that the association has done so. The same refusal occurred at last fall's high school football finals, when the Daily Herald's photojournalist and other newspapers' photographers were denied access to the football field itself because they declined to sign the agreement.

The not-for-profit IHSA has signed a contract with a private company giving it exclusive rights to photograph events. The contract with Visual Image Photography Inc. permits it to sell photos from state championship games in return for giving the IHSA photos from these contests for promotional use.

The Illinois Press Association has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the IHSA's restrictions. In addition, a Chicago state lawmaker has filed a proposal that attempts to ensure media access to IHSA events.