Hello John & all,
Had to chuckle at your examples!  Ranger Rick and Professor Bb i think i
might have met before!
I guess in the best interest of beekeeping i should say talk to the
reporter but be careful of the things you say. In Missouri we have a
saying about what happens to you when you don't learn from your
mistakes. "Mistakes are ok as long as you learn from them".
Having been burnt by reporters i will have to stick by my policy of
reviewing their work. I feel i am a representative of the beekeeping
industry. I am one of the American Beekeeping Federation
representatives  for Missouri. A article on beekeeping is not under the
same pressure as a front page news article. I might wave my policy
depending on the subject BUT African bees and semi truck wrecks are two
subjects i stand firm on. Most reporters have their eyes set on a
editors job. If the reporter would stop and think of the damage done by
the alure apple scare which proved unfounded to the apple industry
before writing the story.  Needless scaring of people about african bees
IS another problem.  A simple warning would do.  Trying to stop the
interstate transportation of bees because of the dangers of the every
once in a while wreck.  Bad publicity needs to be avoided.  My
beekeeping insurance is going up for the second time in two years.  Not
because of real insurance claims.  At least that is what the insurance
company says.  The insurance is going up because of all the negative
press on african bees.  Is the insurance going up on home owners because
of dog or snake bites?
In my original post and example after Brian Webb refused to let me
review the finnished work he approach another smaller local beekeeper.
After a 30 minute interview all he got was a picture of his hands
holding a frame of bees and not even his name on tv. The article was all
of Brians making and very inaccurate as you would imagine comming from a
person not directly involved in beekeeping. The article tried to portray
a semi load of beehives as a time bomb waiting to erupt. Hang the
polination! Hide the women and children!
As a beekeeper which has moved bees on our interstates (both legally and
illegally). I try to repect other peoples enjoyment of the roadways.
Walking great distances to eating places and fueling at night and only
when neccessary.
 I will admit however to letting my foot slip off the clutch at a
Department of transportation check point releasing thousands of angry
bees into the air (attack of the killer bees!). I will also admit to
being hard of hearing to the crys of the DOT to remove the truck from
their checkpoint right away.  I will also quietly pull the truck back
out on the interstate when confronted by a angry gas station owner
standing in the driveway with a shotgun.  The worlds polination wouldn't
get done without trucks moving down the interstates hauling bees.
Millions are moved each year. Because of the low profile of their
movement i bet many bee-l readers have never even seen a truckload of
bees in transit.
 I do apologize to the department of transportation for my comments
about their department but holding up a loaded load of bees for any
reason other than inspection for disease irks me!
I know there have got to be good DOT and reporters. Hopefully we will
meet one of these days!
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Grumpy old beekeeper