Sharyl Attkisson of CBS has been tweeting the news that the White House Correspondents Association has joined a large protest against the Obama administration’s habit of holding closed-door events, only allowing them to be covered by the official White House photographer.
The White House Correspondents’ Assn today joins dozens of news associations & media outlets protesting White House policies–
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
— that ban photojournalists from covering the president at certain events while releasing government photos and videos of the same events.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
Letter to White House spokesman Jay Carney: “Journalists are routinely being denied the right to photograph or videotape the President…
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
.. while he is performing his official duties. As surely as if they were placing a hand over a journalist’s camera lens, officials…
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
The White House has argued that certain events with the president are private and should not be opened to the news media.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
"However" says the letter " in instance after instance, the White House has proved that claim false by allowing its own photographers…
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
…and videographers into the same events and then releasing those photos or videos to a nationwide audience."
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
“You are, in effect, replacing independent photojournalism with visual press releases,” the journalist groups said in the letter.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) November 21, 2013
USA Today has more.
President Obama campaigned on making his administration the most transparent in American history.
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