Military Reporters & Editors supports accommodating more media in the Pentagon, but not at the expense of others
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 – Military Reporters & Editors (MRE) President Howard Altman today issued the following statement responding to the Pentagon’s decision to remove four news organizations from their dedicated workspaces.
As an organization created to ensure access for those who cover the military, Military Reporters & Editors (MRE) expresses great concern over the Pentagon’s decision to remove four news organizations from their long-held dedicated workspaces.
We join with the Pentagon Press Association (PPA) and National Press Club (NPC) in seeking greater clarity about the “New Annual Media Rotation Program for Pentagon Press Corps”, delivered via a memo from Acting Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot to the PPA Friday night.
We have raised concerns about access to every administration since our founding in 2003 and are doing so again in keeping with that tradition.
MRE applauds giving space in the Pentagon to all news organizations who regularly cover its activities. In fact, we have worked recently to open the briefings to outlets that may not always have correspondents in the building.
Before rotating organizations out of their dedicated workspace, let’s find a solution to accommodate new news organizations that does not diminish the capacity of the existing ones to cover the Pentagon. Being forced to vacate a space with all the requisite equipment and means of communication by the imposed Feb. 14 deadline is an unreasonable hardship. The resulting disruptions are not necessary when more can be done to accommodate any outlet that wants workspace in the press area.
We are concerned that should these decisions be based on favorable or unfavorable coverage of the Pentagon, that will have a chilling effect on fair and open reporting. We hope a compromise can be reached which is least disruptive to existing outlets while accommodating new ones. In this spirit, we would like to meet with Pentagon officials to discuss this gravely important issue.
The bottom line is that the media and the Pentagon both serve the public. Let’s find a way to ensure this most American of principles continues.
Howard Altman, MRE President, on behalf of the Board of Directors
MRE | Military Reporters & Editors Mission
- Advance the public understanding of the military, national security, and homeland defense.
- Represent the interests of working journalists to the government and military.
- Assure journalists have access to places where the U.S. military and its allies operate.
- Provide resources, support. educational and networking opportunities for members, fostering excellence in journalism.
For more information, visit the MRE website at https://www.militaryreporters.org.