Several US and international news organizations on Tuesday refused to sign on to new rules proposed by the Pentagon for media access.
At least 30 news outlets, including the New York Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, AFP and Fox News, rejected the Pentagon’s new media policy, saying it violates the constitutionally protected right to free speech.
The Pentagon warned that it would revoke press badges for news organizations that do not agree with media access rules.
Why are news outlets objecting to the new policy?
Under the new policy, journalists will have to acknowledge that they could be considered a security risk and have their Pentagon press badges revoked if they ask department employees to disclose classified and certain types of unclassified information.
The new rules come as the Defense Department has already restricted media access inside the Pentagon, forced some outlets to vacate offices in the building and reduced the number of press briefings.
“The policy doesn’t ask them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is,” Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement Monday.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth called the requirements “common sense”, adding that “we’re trying to make sure national security is respected.”
What are news organizations saying?
The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) said the media policy “cries out Pentagon employees” by threatening retaliation against journalists who ask for information that has not been pre-approved for release.
The major broadcast networks ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC issued a joint statement saying they would not sign on to the new rules, which would “restrict journalists’ ability to keep the country and the world informed about critical national security issues.”
The five networks said in a joint statement, “This policy is without precedent and jeopardizes basic journalistic protections. We will continue to cover the U.S. military while upholding the principles of a free and independent press as each of our organizations has done for decades.”
Apart from Fox News, other conservative outlets are also reportedly refusing to agree to the new policy.
In total around 100 press passes may be cancelled.
However, at least one news organization signed on to the new policy: the far-right cable network One America News.
Edited by: Zack Crellin