• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2022
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

Blogger Peter Schorsch Resigns from Florida Press Association After Objections Are Raised

December 13, 2013 | FlaglerLive | Leave a Comment

Peter Schorsch's relationships have the intricacies and charges of a motherboard. (Mark Wahl)
Peter Schorsch’s relationships have the intricacies and charges of a motherboard. (Mark Wahl)

A St. Petersburg-based blogger who has consulted for a number of prominent politicians resigned from the Tallahassee-based Florida Press Association last week after objections were raised by other members of the organization.

Dean Ridings, press association president and CEO, said Peter Schorsch, creator and editor of the influential SaintPetersBlog, which is followed by many journalists, politicians and lobbyists across the state, was advised of the objections and that he “offered” his resignation.

Schorsch said Thursday that while he wanted to be a member, and is increasing ethical guidelines for his blog, part of his decision was due to being “taunted” by certain members of the media.

“While I am sure me being a member of the FPA would have been mutually beneficial to me and the organization, it was simply not worth the effort to fight for admission to that particular club,” Schorsch said in an email.

Shortly after SaintPetersBlog was granted membership, Schorsch was the subject of a less-than-flattering piece Nov. 15 by the Tampa Bay Times.

Ridings called the Times report an “interesting story.”

“We certainly read that and there were certainly issues in the story that were of interest to us,” Ridings said. “We don’t police how our members act, but we are certainly interested in our members conducting themselves in an ethical manner.”

The article, which Schorsch has described on his blog as a “hatchet job,” claimed Schorsch pressured at least five people involved in Tampa Bay-area politics to purchase ad space in exchange for positive stories or to delete previously posted negative posts.


After the Times piece came out, Schorsch said in the email Thursday, he asked Ridings to gauge the reaction from the association and if there had been opposition to his membership.

“He contacted me a couple of weeks later and said that he and his board members had, in fact, heard some objections,” Schorsch wrote. “I thought about it for five minutes and then emailed my resignation — and asked for my due check to be refunded.”

Schorsch announced his resignation Dec. 3 in a tweet.

Ridings noted that no objections had been raised prior to Schorsch’s application being approved.

“His application was in our e-bulletin twice, and I asked for comments and there were no comments,” Ridings said.

Among those who raised objections were people from The News Service of Florida and the Associated Press.

“It would have been very helpful if they did that beforehand,” Ridings said.

A question for groups such as the press association, a non-profit that includes every daily newspaper and most of the weekly newspapers in Florida, is how to embrace new types of digital media such as bloggers.

Schorsch announced Nov. 7 that the application by Extensive Enterprises Media — which owns the rights to SaintPetersBlog.com — for membership into the association had been approved.

In the blog posting that announced the approval, Schorsch noted he expected concerns that some members would object but there “was nary a peep.”

–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida

Note: FlaglerLive Editor Pierre Tristam and columnist Steve Robinson had been contributors to ContextFlorida, the opinion website Schorsch created earlier this year, until the revelations of the Times story. By way of second chances, FlaglerLive resumed running ContextFlorida columns in February 2013.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
You and your neighbors collectively read our articles about 25,000 times each day (that's not a typo) with up to 65,000 daily reads during emergencies like hurricanes. Flagler County residents rely on FlaglerLive for essential, bold and analytical journalism that cannot be found anywhere else. But we depend on your support. Please join our December fund drive! If you donate the cost of a scoop of ice cream, you will be helping us continue to provide comprehensive local news and honest, serious journalism for our community. If you can donate more or become a monthly donor, even better. Donations are tax deductible since FlaglerLive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donate by clicking anywhere in this box. Think of it as buying a scoop, in every sense of the term!  
All donors' identities are kept confidential and anonymous.
   

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Recent Comments

  • Dennis C Rathsam on Suddenly Faced With Attorney’s Exit, Palm Coast Council Seeks New ‘Robust’ Law Firm for 1st Time in 17 Years
  • Pierre Tristam on Zealotry Takes the Gavel at the Flagler County School Board
  • Me Too on In Rare Rebuke, Judge Rejects Plea Agreement and Asks for Jail Time in Dog Abuse Case
  • Never cease to amaze me on Judge’s Artful Pressure Convinces 22-Year-Old Who Molested Siblings to Plead Rather Than Risk Life in Prison
  • anonymous on Palm Coast Man, 19, Accused of Beating “Snitch” and Smashing Car’s Windshield
  • Melly c on In Rare Rebuke, Judge Rejects Plea Agreement and Asks for Jail Time in Dog Abuse Case
  • Michael Cocchiola on Zealotry Takes the Gavel at the Flagler County School Board
  • Michael Cocchiola on Statewide Grand Jury Attacks Organizations That Help Migrants and Calls for Further Crackdowns
  • Marc Crane on Statewide Grand Jury Attacks Organizations That Help Migrants and Calls for Further Crackdowns
  • Robert Joseph Fortier on In Rare Rebuke, Judge Rejects Plea Agreement and Asks for Jail Time in Dog Abuse Case
  • Jack Radcliffe on Next Flagler School Superintendent’s Salary May Be As High as $200,000, a 48% Jump in Last 3 Years
  • Jack Radcliffe on Next Flagler School Superintendent’s Salary May Be As High as $200,000, a 48% Jump in Last 3 Years
  • Ed on Zealotry Takes the Gavel at the Flagler County School Board
  • Deborah Coffey on Statewide Grand Jury Attacks Organizations That Help Migrants and Calls for Further Crackdowns
  • Erod on County Approves Captain’s BBQ Settlement, Bringing Lawsuit’s Cost to $1 Million, and Big Changes at Bing’s Landing
  • Deborah Coffey on Consultant Says Palm Coast Residents Must Pay Cost of Future Growth With Higher Water Bills. Council Recoils.

Log in

Created using the Donation Thermometer plugin https://wordpress.org/plugins/donation-thermometer/.$7000Raised $2674 towards the $7000 target.$2674Raised $2674 towards the $7000 target.38%

Thank you for being among the 25,000 readers who stop by here every day: You depend on FlaglerLive for reliable, fearless reporting and analysis you cannot get anywhere else. But like freedom, serious journalism depends on its advocates to survive. That means you. That means more than thoughts and good wishes are needed. As a challenging 2024 looms, take a stand for integrity and have a direct voice in fostering serious journalism in your community. As little as $10 makes a difference, or better still, become a monthly donor: Become a Friend of FlaglerLive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible. Click anywhere in this box and make a year-end gift that supports truth.

All donors’ identities kept confidential.