The Pentagon has implemented new restrictions on the journalistic coverage of the US Armed Forces, requiring communication vehicles to obtain prior approval for the disclosure of information. The measure has generated a strong reaction from the American press, with several vehicles considering to go to court against the decision. The analysis is by Fernanda Magotta in CNN 360ยบ.
According to the new regulation, journalists who publish sensitive material without prior permission may have their press credentials revoked. He said that press professionals will need to follow the established rules or fail to have access to military facilities.
Important media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, have already expressed criticism of the memo. Legal teams and chief editors of these organizations are analyzing the legal possibilities to contest the new requirements.
The measure is seen as one and directing the public debate. The official argument of the Department of Defense is based on national security issues, claiming that information shared with accredited journalists can generate vulnerabilities for the United States.
Before making a statement to journalists, there is a filter to ensure that it has nothing confidential to what will be shared. Therefore, it would not justify the need to require prior authorization. The Pentagon’s argument is considered fragile and seen by many as authoritarian and as censorship, as it limits freedom of the press.
There is an important historical precedent related to this type of situation. In the early 1970s, the case known as “Pentagon Papers” arrived at the American Supreme Court, which decided in favor of press freedom. However, the current composition of the Court, with a more conservative inclination, may result in a different interpretation from the case.
