Basejumper.com - archive

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/...tory.html?id=8755621

same thing at 4am and nobody knows/gets pictures. :/

I actually thought Jay Laurendeau did a great job with handling the reporter, at least from the quotes that were used in the article.

Reads like he was eager to talk to them. Not a bad article I think its all funny :)

After an incident like this, I wonder if there would even be an article if jumpers didn't speak with the media?

Jason Laurendeau is an academic who has written scholarly articles on BASE in his field. He's in the same general geographic area as the jump took place (Alberta).

It takes only moments on Google to find a discussion of his research into BASE on the University web site.

I'd guess that the reporter found him via his academic work and called him to ask for comment. I read his comments as those of a university academic, rather than those of a jumper.

Are you KIDDING?

“I guarantee there have been dozens or hundreds of base jumps in Edmonton since then, it’s just that we don’t know about them,”

He told them how experienced they are, how to look for them,and motivation.

Tom did you teach this guy?

You're talking about someone who hasn't made a jump in several years.

So, no, I'm not kidding. I don't really read his comments as coming from a jumper--certainly not a current jumper.

You're missing my point. Scholarly or not, the article may not have been printed if no one spoke to the media.

There is a time and place for BASE jumpers to tell their story. From personal experience, doing so in an article about an illegal urban jump is often not the right place. Just my opinion.

Sure. I'd agree with that.

But the guy you're talking about isn't a BASE jumper--at least not one who's been active in the last several years. He's a university professor.

I've got no idea what the ethical guidelines of university professorship are, so I've got no way of knowing if he's somehow contravening them.


It's very interesting to me that this has somehow become a discussion about the university academic who offered an opinion, instead of about the 3 guys who did a daylight building jump downtown.

Is everyone really more concerned about the non-jumper offering an academic opinion? Why is that?

Right...because reporters won't just make up what sounds good if no one gives a creditable opinion. Are you serious? This guy didn't tell them anything they couldn't have already assumed by reading this stupid website for 5 minutes.

Some dudes blazed a building and you blame the guy who tries to make us look less reckless and more detail orientated? You're being silly.

Actually this was a follow up story. It made the news across Canada. I think he did a good job of not making us look like idiots, and kudos to the reporter for doing a decent job as well, instead of the usual black death BS

Yes, I'm serious. I get a lot of phone calls from the media that are related to illegal urban jumps. I even got a call about this particular incident. Reporters don't normally "make up what sounds good", despite what you may think. If they don't get the facts and interviews they need, they often fail to print the article. How do I know this? Because I have fielded countless calls from reporters when guys like you dayblaze or get busted, then told them I'm not interested in speaking with them, and the story was never printed.

I'm not blaming anyone. I simply asked if the story wouldn't have been printed if jumpers didn't give interviews. So, don't put words in my mouth. If you disagree with me, then tactfully say so. But calling me silly simply shows you know nothing about how the media works.

Ever sell your video to a production company? If so, you'll see they normally want interviews. Magazines and newspapers always want quotes from jumpers. If you don't offer them an interview, their story is less valuable. I just don't see the value in responding to an incident as the media normally has their mind made up on how the story will be told. Again, this is just my experience over the years.

You're tactfully at an 8 on the silly meter, I need you back at a 6.

Everybody knows the media will print a story, if they think there is a story there, whether they have knowledgeable people to interview or not. Come on, man, you're better then this.
Sure, if there isn't a story, and you refuse to give them one, then there still isn't a story. But when there are multiple witnesses to a building being blazed, there is a story...always a story, in the eyes of the media.
How many times have you seen them decide to go with whoever wants the air-time, or wants to give their expert opinion as an observer in other events? All the time.
I know you're a media expert, being that you run the biggest organized media spectacle in canopy sports, but try and relax a bit. This guy, who really made us look pretty good in the public eye, didn't ruin bridge day, or burn any objects in Canada.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/...e/8750233/story.html

This was the original story, the other article was a follow up

Looks like the Inspector has a pretty level head and also reiterates that fact that we needed ZERO comments from Prof BASE, in a follow up article. Again looks like someone is screaming look at me! ( I do it alot just not to a newspaper)

Https://soundcloud.com/...akenridge-show-jason

Jason is truly a scholar and a gentleman. He recently sent me his personal copy of his book: "Base Jumping - The Ultimate Guide", complete with his autograph. I haven't seen any mention of the book on this site. It is very well researched and well written. It is a great read. I highly recommend it.