WASHINGTON - The Chicago-based Tribune Company is one of nearly forty media companies that signed a letter to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, protesting the lack of access mainstream media photographers now have to key White House events.
"Journalists are routinely being denied the right to photograph or videotape the President while he is performing his official duties. As surely as if they were placing a hand over a journalist’s camera lens, officials in this administration are blocking the public from having an independent view of important functions of the Executive Branch of government," the letter said.
While the White House restricts access to the outside photographers, deeming certain events as "private," the Obama Administration then distributes in-house photos taken during those "private" events via social media, such as Twitter and Facebook. The Tribune Company, and others, question the constitutionality of restricting independent media access.
"The organizations and individuals signing this letter strongly believe that imposing limits on press access, as your office has done, represents a troubling precedent with a direct and adverse impact on the public’s ability to independently monitor and see what its government is doing," the letter said.
"We consider this a most serious matter and urge you to provide appropriate access for independent photojournalists to all public governmental events in which the President participates."
The White House is defending their current policy.
