A coalition of 53 press and open government organizations has “once again” urged President Barack Obama and the people in his administration “to stop practices in federal agencies that prevent important information from getting to the public.”
According to an open letter sent to the Democratic occupant of the White House on Monday and released to the public the following day, groups ranging from the American Copy Editors Society to the Virginia Professional Communicators criticized Obama for not following through on a promise he made during his presidential campaign in 2008.
He “pledged to lead the most transparent administration in history, but we have yet to see this promise fulfilled,” stated David Cuillier, chair of the Society of Professional Journalists Freedom of Information Committee.
Cuillier noted: “It is not too late to fulfill that promise. His term may be coming to a close,” but there's still time “to make some real changes in the way officials work with journalists to improve the accuracy and speed in which important information is relayed to the public.”
James Warren of the Poynter Institute stressed that the missive “reiterates long-standing frustration with the Obama Administration, whose own self-image is one of increasing the public’s access to information.”
“The groups sharply disagree,” Warren added, “and their frustration is undisguised.” Instead, the organizations “cite a list of ongoing practices that curb such a free flow, including vetting interview questions in advance and monitoring interviews.”
:
The letter begins:
One year ago, more than 40 journalism and government accountability organizations expressed deep concern about the constraints on information in the federal government today.
These include: prohibiting staff from communicating with journalists unless they maneuver through public affairs offices or through political appointees.
Another restrictive practice is “refusing to allow reporters to speak to staff at all or delaying interviews past the point they would be useful.”
Finally, the groups accuse the president and his administration of “monitoring interviews and speaking only on the condition that the official not be identified, even when he or she has the title of spokesperson.”
“The response Mr. Josh Earnest sent the Society of Professional Journalists on August 11, 2014, failed to address these issues,” the letter noted, “and despite repeated requests to discuss the issue publicly, the White House has yet to engage in a meaningful conversation.”
“Throwing PIO (public information officer) roadblocks in the path of journalists contravenes the spirit of open government and a free flow of information,” said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, in the release. “While we appreciate the role of PIO as a facilitator, there is no substitute for reporters speaking directly to sources.”
This was the third letter the groups sent to the White House regarding government transparency. “The first letter, sent July 8, 2014, and a follow-up letter sent Aug. 5, 2014, were met with a non-response response from the White House on Aug. 11, 2014.”
Mark Horvit, executive director of Investigative Reporters & Editors, stated:
These types of policies fundamentally restrict the quality of the information that citizens get about what government agencies are doing.
When researchers, administrators and experts cannot speak freely, it becomes impossible to get a full and honest picture of a government program or policy. Such secrecy only fuels distrust and gives members of the public a right to wonder what is being done in their name, with their money.
Kathryn Foxhall, a member of the SPJ's Freedom of Information Committee, calls these types of restraints alarming and forms of censorship.
“Surveys of journalists and public information officers demonstrate that the restraints have become pervasive across the country,” Foxhall said. “This information suppression is fraught with danger -- especially when it concerns the health and safety of the American people.”
“Transparency can’t just be a buzzword or an applause line," said Joshua Hatch, board vice president and Legal Committee chair of the Online News Association. "It has to be a commitment from the highest levels to every hall of government. Without it, journalists are hamstrung, the public is kept in the dark, and democracy suffers."
“The proposed practices also zero in on growing frustration with the actual images of Obama,” Warren stated.
“The press corps believes that its photographers and cameras are excluded from too many events and other revealing moments, leaving the public beholden to photos and videos taken and distributed by the White House itself and meant to cast the boss in the best light,” he indicated.
As NewsBusters previously reported, reporters and networks have often criticized the Obama White House for setting a “troubling precedent” on restrictive press access.
For a complete list of the organizations that signed on to the letter, go to this website.
