Want a happy ending?
If so, don't continue reading. As rumor has it you may be able to just grab Orlando Weekly and cruise through the Adult Services or Certified Massage section.
Three of their advertising employees were arrested and charged this week for aiding prostitution rings. Police said the three employees helped escort services design ads to deceive law enforcement.
Their publisher, Rick Schreiber, insists it's all being done to oppress the newspaper's freedom of speech.
Yes, the publisher really said that.
All media publications and outlets have a responsibility to their audience. They must try to publish legitimate companies regardless of profit. If the Weekly did indeed sponsor illegal activity, it should suffer the repercussions.
Schreiber released a statement on the newspaper's Web site where he said the arrests were "an outrageous abuse of process and an attempt to censor the First Amendment rights of a newspaper that has reported critically on the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation." He also said they are reviewing the charges.
Schreiber is right. The Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation shouldn't be doing their jobs. They did years of investigating just to censor the Weekly. Isn't it obvious?
Prostitution smostitution; this is all about freedom of speech.
Everyone knows that prostitution should be legalized because actions speak louder than words. Schreiber must think the career choice is the ultimate form of self-expression.
Should we stop calling them prostitutes and call them patriots? Maybe Schreiber will opt to call them freedom fighters. He is an inspiration to all future journalists.
Let's be serious here. What Schreiber said may have been a complete joke, which is why it was so easy to poke fun.
The MBI has been after the Weekly for years to take down its Adult Service and Certified Massage sections, but they have been defiant. It's obviously not illegal to advertise escorts and massages, but it is illegal to knowingly assist their illegal practice, which is what they are accused of doing.
Since 2003, there have been 65 cases involving companies who advertise themselves in the Weekly. Resulting from those 65 cases have been 81 prostitution or prostitution-related charges. Some companies were on the list more than once and still had advertisements with the Weekly. It seems just a tad fishy.
Maybe it isn't fishy at all. Maybe there really aren't any honest escort services in Orlando and the Weekly has made the mistake of running escort and massage advertisements. Every publication has a responsibility to its audience in publishing certain advertisements.
Soldier of Fortune magazine was held responsible in 1992 when it published an ad that said, "Gun for hire: 37-year-old professional mercenary desires jobs. Vietnam Veteran. Discrete (sic) and very private. Body guard, courier, and other special skills. All jobs considered."
The ad resulted in the death of Richard Braun, a businessman from Alabama. His family won $2 million for the magazine's negligence.
A fine line exists between a newspaper's responsibility and its right to freedom of speech. A newspaper can't be responsible for something that is not a blatant threat. It must consider all ads at face value at first.
The Soldier of Fortune case is a perfect example of how judging by face value could have saved a life. Not every advertisement is so frank. Obviously, a newspaper shouldn't be responsible for a personal ad that resulted in an assault nor should it be responsible for a car ad that resulted in a car accident.
Escort services aren't illegal, and no one can tell from looking at an ad if it's legitimate or not. But escort services with a criminal background should not be allowed in a newspaper and that is where the Weekly has faulted.
This has nothing to do with whether the Weekly is innocent or guilty. This isn't even about the three employees anymore.
Prostitution is a serious matter. Many women are exploited sexually and physically harmed. The Weekly should clearly know better.
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