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Nov. 21, 2013
The Associated Press today reiterated its call for greater access to President Barack Obama for photographers who cover the White House.
“Journalists are routinely being denied the right to photograph or videotape the President while he is performing his official duties,” said a letter delivered today to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney that was signed by AP and many other news organizations. “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 echoed concerns raised by AP since President Obama’s first days in office in 2009.
AP Vice President and Director of Photography Santiago Lyon underscored key points in the dispute:
What is The AP seeking?
The AP and other media organizations are seeking more regular photo
access to the President in the Oval Office and elsewhere as he performs
official duties or meets with staff. While photographers are granted
some access to Oval Office meetings and other activities, it has
decreased markedly under the Obama administration when compared to
previous presidents. We believe we should have access to a wider
selection of presidential events where we know access to be possible.
Don’t we already see photos of these occasions?
A small group of photographers and a videographer, collectively known as
the “travel pool,” enjoys some access to the Oval Office and other
presidential activities but increasingly the Obama administration labels
events as “private” before then releasing official photos shot by White
House photographers such as Pete Souza.
These images are posted on the White House Flickr page — http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse — where they are available for free.
The photos on that page are visual press releases and are carefully vetted by administration employees before distribution. Such images are increasingly offered to the media by the White House in lieu of real journalistic access and we and other media organizations find this unacceptable. Media organizations generally do not reproduce written press releases verbatim, so why should we settle for these official images?
What sort of situations have the media been excluded from?
The media were prevented from documenting the President’s first day on
the job – surely an historic occasion. In addition, we have been denied
access to legislation being signed as well as notable foreign leaders
and other visitors of interest, such as the Pakistani student activist
Malala Yousafzai. In fact, since 2010 we have only been granted access
to the President alone in the Oval Office on two occasions, once in 2009
and again in 2010. We have never been granted access to the President
at work in the Oval Office accompanied by his staff. Previous
administration regularly granted such access.
And AP isn’t the only news organization with this complaint?
The AP joined with numerous other news organizations, including all the
major television networks, as well as media umbrella organizations such
as APME, ASNE and the White House Correspondents’ Association to protest
this diminished access in a letter to White House Press Secretary Jay
Carney. In that letter we also requested a meeting with Mr. Carney to
discuss the issue.
Hasn’t the AP used White House photos in the past?
We recognize that certain areas of the White House are off-limits to
the media because they are secure or private areas, such as the
President’s living quarters. On those occasions where something
newsworthy or notable happens in these areas we sometimes distribute the
official photos. Each such scenario is considered on a case-by-case
basis. To be clear – we are asking to be allowed consistent, independent
access into the room when the President signs legislation, greets
visitors of note, or otherwise discharges his public duties.
Read a PDF of the letter to Carney.
