Newspapers usually post photo galleries online and offer to sell prints to family members or such.

"We believe we have the right to decide what to do with our photographs," said Jim Amoss, editor of The Times-Picayune. "In our view, there is no difference whether we choose to publish a photo in print or on the Web."

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) requires of all press photographers to sign a form that allow only photographs published in newsprint to be sold to the public.

The LHSAA has an exclusive contract with Musemeche Photography to sell pictures online.

"These are high school games, played in a public setting and open to the public. We are the representatives of the public and have a right to cover the event and use our material as we see fit," said Kathy Spurlock, executive editor of the Monroe News-Star.

The LHSAA’s decision poses two threats to press freedom: that of the public aspect of the event covered, and a restraint to the press body’s choice of distribution.

"We look at this as a freedom of the press issue. We can't allow anyone to dictate how we cover an event," said Pam Mitchell-Wagner, executive director of the Louisiana Press Association.

Perhaps even worse, this press freedom issue arises from a private economic agreement for exclusive press rights.

Source: Nola.com through Poynter.org