RSN Denied Media Access In Bradley Manning Trial

[Left Coast2020]

Source: Reader Supported News

According to the Army, 350 reporters applied for credentials to the trial of Bradley Manning. Fewer than 100 received credentials, meaning over 250 were denied. Reader Supported News was one of the publications denied. The Army in its notification of denial said, "The U.S. Army Military District of Washington made every effort to ensure a variety of media were credentialed to provide the public (local, national, international) a continuous news feed of the legal proceedings." However the criteria for approval remains vague at best.

Read more: http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/367-wikileaks/17713-rsn-files-media-access-motion-in-manning-trial

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If only there was someone in Congress who understood that "a free press" is vital in a supposed democracy. Edward R. Murrow is turning over in his grave.

[Big_Mike]

1. While I am generally the last one to dismiss arbitrary acts, in this case I can see a why

there are limits. I am frankly amazed that they allowed 100 passes. I've never seen a military courtroom that could handle even a quarter of that amount. Those facilities are normally quite small, and without much excess space. They must have made provision for some kind of overflow (hopefully not GP Medium tents!) for the press.

[MADem]

6. Maybe remote access via video? nt

[PSPS]

2. Here's what those who attend will witness...

[brooklynite]

8. Funny, I thought a "Kangaroo Court" convicted people who hadn't committed a crime.

Unless your argument is that Manning didn't leak the material to WikiLeaks, I don't see how you draw that conclusion. "It shouldn't be a crime" isn't a legal claim.

[Purveyor]

3. I had never heard of RSN but what a interesting source of news and commentary. Thanks for

posting.

I'm bookmarking the site for future reference.

[durbin]

4. There was a day when lots of newspapers were reader-supported

Those days, for the most part, are gone.

Newspapers rely upon their sponsors, as do radio and TV news. Readers just get what news their sponsors want them to get.

A sad day in the world when most news sources area NOT "reader supported"

[sweetloukillbot]

7. Readers decided they didn't want to support newspapers...

When they could access stories online. Then they decided they didn't want to pay for web access when news sites implemented paywalls. So hundreds of real journalists across the country (like myself) lost their jobs.
But that's a whole different story.

[durbin]

10. Agreed, and I lament their loss

Did I just hear that the Chicago Tribune just let go all their photographer journalists?

I see small town papers dry up, I see big city papers fold or cut their staff to 1/3.

It's not a good day we live in for journalism.

[sweetloukillbot]

14. Yep - All photographers got canned on Friday

Reporters are to shoot pictures using their smartphones. I went through similar in my last few years - I was issued a backpack with a laptop and a Nikon Sure Shot and told to go find news and report on it from Starbucks. Good little camera which in the hands of a good photographer probably could produce decent shots. But not in my hands.

I was the local music reporter before the layoffs, we also had a national music reporter, a classical/opera reporter, a theater reporter, a TV reporter, a movie reviewer, an arts reporter, two GA arts reporters and two clerks on our arts team.

They currently have one music writer who does everything including classical, TV and Movies are combined, a visual arts reporter, and a theatre reporter (who also does dance and opera also). Plus 2 interns who do concert reviews. Every reporter works 80 hour weeks, shoots most of their own photography and some video.

The nice thing is they have a hefty freelance budget so I'm able to pick up good-paying work on a semi-regular basis.

[durbin]

15. Skills and human talent do not matter to the bean-counters

The most important thing in journalism of today seems to be counting the beans!

I'd hate to be the bean-counter for those essays of Henry David Thoreau. I think his publisher died as a pauper. Which one among us hasn't been rewarded by reading Thoreau, or so many others?

Getting rid of photojournalism, how is this a "survival tactic" for news sources?

[MADem]

5. A hundred passes IS generous. I've never heard of "reader supported news"--

I have to say it sounds like "I Made This Up And It's Not Real or Funded" News. That probably informed the Army's decision.

They should have coordinated with other groups and gone into a "pool" arrangement.

Edward R. Murrow is not turning over in his grave--there's plenty of representation in the room.

[SlimJimmy]

11. +1

[Left Coast2020]

12. Never heard of it???

Its kinda a "spin-off" of Truthout.org--as one of the TO editors started it (I believe). But you would have to ask Will Pitts (on here) about RSN as he probably knows more.

[MADem]

13. Isn't that what I said?

I wouldn't give "Truthout.org" a press pass either--they're an advocacy site. They advocate for stuff that most people here like, but they are definitely working from a POV.

Again, if a bunch of smaller outfits had come together and agreed to a "pool" scheme, they probably could have been accommodated. But everyone wants to be number one, I guess.

[DeSwiss]

9. Another aspect.....

...of the new and improved ''optional'' 1st Amendment.

- K&R

[msanthrope]

16. 100 press passes is hardly squelching the First Amendment. nt