It's been almost 5 years since the Experimental Aircraft Association's bogus attendance reporting was exposed. Yet today, almost unbelievably, the Oshkosh Northwestern's Krista Ledbetter reports "nearly 700,000 visitors . . . " That's what happens when the "reporting " relies on EAA press releases and the editors are either too lazy or too scared to do their jobs properly. Back in 2003 the Northwestern did a story questioning the attendance figures (no longer online), but that has now apparently been relegated to the memory hole and they've decided to go with the bullshit numbers instead. So much for Gannett's code of ethics.
Down in Florida, the "Sun 'N Fun" fly-in was forced to adjust its attendance figures after some responsible reporting by reporter Rick Rousos. In November of 2003 the Sun 'N Fun management admitted to a paid attendance of 57,000. I would be shocked if the Oshkosh EAA attendance is much larger than that.
The continued lying about the attendance results in exaggerated estimates of the economic impact of EAA, which results in a continuation of the very generous treatment provided to the organization by Winnebago Couny and the city of Oshkosh.
This year in addition to the continuation of the attendance charade, we have to suffer through the shameful spectacle of the Key to the City being given to a man who lied on his resume'. What can be said about a mainstream press, city council, and county government that allows an organization to treat the city of Oshkosh like an ignorant backwater?
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2 comments:
The Lakeland Ledger (Rousos' paper) is owned by the New York Times Company. --TP
Tony, here is a link to a 2005 Oshkosh Northwestern article which somewhat explains the inflated attendance numbers. Perhaps it is the one you were thinking of.
http://www.wisinfo.com/legacy/eaa/archive/eaa_21820517.shtml
This explanation notwithstanding, the article still cites the actual number of people attending at about 350,000 - a number which I also find a hard time believing. Here's why...
The EAA organization has, according to their own press material, 170,000 members worldwide and 1,000 local chapters. So even if every member attended (which we know is not the case), there would still need to be another 180,000 people to bring it up to the 350,000 figure that was cited in last year's article.
I understand why EAA counts the admissions as they do, but I find it to be disingenuous to make statements like "EAA estimates that 700,000 members and visitors will attend the 54th annual AirVenture event," as was stated in a recent EAA press release.
Personally, I like EAA and I think it adds a real benefit to this community. But the benefit is great enough, I believe, on its own. It shouldn't have to be overstated in order to be effective or appreciated. Bottom line: That statement in their press releases paints a picture quite different from how many people are actually coming into our community for this event. And it is far from accurate, no matter how you do the math.
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