Community Corner

UPDATE: Darien YWCA Speaker Canceled

Update 1:39 p.m.:

State Rep. Terrie Wood also could not speak at the luncheon, so there was no speaker, according to TV79 Director Jim Cameron.

Update 10:12 a.m.:


Carmen Wong Ulrich, a television journalist who was to be the keynote speaker at today's (Thursday's) Darien YWCA "Women of Distinction" luncheon, has canceled her appearance, so state Rep. Terrie Wood will instead give the keynote speach, according to TV79 Director Jim Cameron.

Cameron said he was told Ulrich cancelled on Wednesday "due to a conflict." TV79 will cover the full event, he said.

Original article:

For the second time in two years, the YWCA Darien-Norwalk has agreed to the demands of a broadcast journalist that her speech at a YWCA fundraiser not be broadcast by television journalists, according to Jim Cameron, director of Darien's TV79.

Carmen Wong Ulrich, a television journalist and keynote speaker at the local YWCA's "Women of Distinction" fundraising luncheon, which takes place today (Thursday), didn't want television cameras recording her speech, Cameron says he was told by local YWCA officials—although Cameron says the local YWCA was initially interested in having TV79 cover the event at the Woodway Country Club.

"Somebody who has parlayed her expertise from the media into speaking engagements such as this now says she doesn't want her comments covered by a little town TV operation," Cameron said, about Ulrich's ban on broadcasting.

The same thing happened in June 2011, an episode Cameron wrote about in a post on his blog.

There would be no ban on print reporters covering Ulrich's speech, Cameron said he was told. "I don't think the Darien Y should be allowing their speakers to call the shots as far as media coverage," he said.

Ellen Kirby, executive director of the local YWCA, did not return a telephone message from Patch (left on her telephone Tuesday) asking for her comment.


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