November 23, 2020 – The Washington, D.C. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists today called on the U.S. Senators from Virginia and Maryland to use the confirmation process to secure assurances from nominees of the incoming Biden Administration on a number of issues important to journalists.
“The change of administrations gives us a unique opportunity to press our case for greater access to government experts and to put the new administration on record when it comes to press freedom issues,” said Washington, D.C. SPJ chapter president Randy Showstack.
The letter called for the nominees to answer the following questions:
- Will the Biden Administration order the Department of Homeland Security to reverse its policy of limiting visas for foreign journalists assigned to the United States, and return to the earlier policy that encourages journalists from around the world to report from the United States?
- Will the Biden Administration nomination for CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media order to reverse the current position of denying visa extensions for the foreign correspondents working for Voice of America and the other news agencies under the control of the USAGM?
- Will this new CEO also reinstate the firewall that protects the journalists of VOA and its sister news organizations from the direct political control of the CEO?
- Will agency nominees overturn the policy of prohibiting access to government experts unless a politically appointed official, public information officer or other person is notified and is part of the interview, so that reporters may have unrestricted access to information vital to keeping the public aware of government actions?
- Will the nominees guarantee to not interfere with the independent nature of the inspectors general and do nothing to prevent the rapid release of the unclassified versions of their reports, thereby ensuring the public’s right to know about government actions?
“These questions,” said Showstack, “are in direct response to actions taken by the current and previous administrations that have placed undue restrictions on journalists’ ability to perform their work and threatened editorial independence. We hope the incoming Biden team will stand up for media access to decision makers and for a free and independent press. We encourage the U.S. Senate to secure these assurances during the hearing process.”
The full letter is below.
The Society of Professional Journalists promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.
- Washington, D.C., SPJ president Randy Showstack can be reached at randy.100@usa.net
- For more information about the issues related to visas for foreign correspondents, the USAGM leadership and role of inspectors general, please contact DCSPJ Treasurer and SPJ International Community co-chair Dan Kubiske at Dan@Kubiske.Org or 703/678-6833.
- For more information about access to government agency experts, please contact DCSPJ Recording Secretary Kathryn Foxhall at kfoxhall@verizon.net.
Letter Sent to Virginia and Maryland U.S. Senators
November 21, 2020
The coming of a new administration means many hearings in the Senate to confirm the top leaders of government agencies. The Washington DC chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists asks you to take an active interest in the issue of press freedom and access during these hearings.
Specifically, we would like to hear your positions on the issues noted below. Likewise we encourage you to question the appropriate nominees about these issues when they appear before your committees.
We are concerned about press freedom issues relating to U.S. visas for foreign journalists and about the status of the Voice of America and its sister news organizations under the umbrella of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
ISSUE: The Department of Homeland Security recently changed the rules for visas for foreign correspondents. The new measure limits the validity of the visa to 240 days. Even if the journalists are allowed to renew their visas (something not clear in the new rules), this action places undue burden on journalists and on foreign news organizations operating in the United States. The action could lead to the intimidation of foreign journalists and encourage foreign news organizations to reduce their U.S. staff.
QUERY: Will the nominees reverse the policy of limiting visas for foreign journalists assigned to the United States and return to the earlier policy that encourages journalists from around the world to report from the United States?
ISSUE: Recent steps taken by the current CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Michael Pack, have raised concerns about the status of the foreign journalists working for Voice of America and the editorial independence of VOA.
QUERY: Will the Biden nominee for CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media reverse the current position of denying visa extensions for the foreign correspondents working for Voice of America and the other news agencies under the control of the USAGM?
In addition, will the new CEO reinstate the firewall that protects the journalists of VOA and its sister news organizations from direct political control of the CEO?
In addition to the issues of press freedom, we are concerned that long-standing practices have severely limited reporters’ and the public’s access to government experts and the weakening of the inspector general system in the U.S. government.
ISSUE: Currently government experts are prohibited from speaking to reporters without prior approval from political appointees or other officials such as public information officers. Officials also frequently insist on being present during interviews. These policies to control access and oversee what is said have denied the American people vital information. A blatant example is the way the current administration is denying access to health experts to discuss COVID-19.
QUERY: We would like to know if nominees will support reporters having unrestricted access to the experts and information vital to help keep the public informed of government actions. Will nominees overturn the current policy of prohibiting access to government experts unless a politically appointed official, public information officer or other person is notified? Will nominees also direct officials in their agencies to stop requiring PIOs or other officials be present during interviews?
ISSUE: The inspectors general of the U.S. government are supposed to be independent of political pressure in their efforts to investigate potential wrongdoings in government agencies. Unclassified reports of those investigations are also supposed to be made available to the public in a timely manner. In the past few years, we have seen a serious erosion of the independence of the inspector general system and delays in the release of the reports that have been generated.
QUERY: Will the nominees guarantee to not interfere with the independent nature of the inspectors general offices and do nothing to prevent the rapid release of the non-classified versions of their reports, thereby ensuring the public’s right to know about government actions?
We look forward to hearing from you soon about our concerns.
Respectfully,
Randy Showstack
President
Washington DC chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists