“Take a stand to stop the spin and...
"Take a stand to stop the spin and let the sunshine in” by ending politically driven “suppression” of news and information about federal agencies, a few dozen news associations and other media interests wrote President Barack Obama (http://bit.ly/1nl7iuW). While reporters…
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used to walk “the halls of agencies and called staff people at will,” the past two administrations have “tightened” control of media access, said the letter dated Tuesday and released by the Society of Professional Journalists. The SPJ-led letter said public affairs officers now speak about routine matters without being identified in news articles, and agencies hold “on-background press conferences” with officials speaking on a not-for-attribution basis. “Meanwhile, agency personnel are free speak to others -- lobbyists, special-interest representatives, people with money -- without these controls and without public oversight,” said the letter. Signers included Radio Television Digital News Association Executive Director Mike Cavender, SPJ President David Cuillier, Center for Media and Democracy Executive Director Lisa Graves, Online News Association Executive Director Jane McDonnell and National Newspaper Association President Robert Williams. The White House didn’t comment Friday and the FCC declined to comment. Many federal agencies must work to make good on administration goals of being forthcoming in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests and being transparent with the public and media, though the FCC does better than some at making experts available and responding to FOIA requests, stakeholders have told us (CD Oct 18 p6).