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A veteran military reporter recalls numerous occasions during his career reporting on the defense establishment when the real story differed significantly from the approved account.

Following the capture of Baghdad in 2003, the then head of the Pentagon was publicly ecstatic, insisting it demonstrated the success of the US invasion. However, via informal conversations with military officers, the reporter quickly discovered a more complex situation: additional American troops were required to secure supply lines under attack by supporters of the former government.

“Did I as a reporter solicit information?” they stated. “Of course. It’s called journalism. Finding out the actual events away from public view and refusing to accept wholesale what any government says.

This reporter is one of many defense correspondents facing the loss of their official access after refusing to agree to a new directive from the Pentagon leadership. The rule would force reporters to endorse an agreement stating they will solely report information “officially approved” by the defense department.

Transformation from Overseers to Government Agents

Signing such an agreement would essentially transform reporters “from watchdogs into state functionaries”, according to a previous chairman of a prominent press association and former editor of a global news agency.

This journalist is not alone. Media outlets such as major newspapers, news agencies, and online platforms – even some with right-leaning audiences – are rejecting the demand.

Predictably, a outlet widely regarded as a state-friendly broadcaster has consented to sign.

Television Outlets Join the Movement

In a major development, the leading TV networks – including those considered supportive of the current administration – released a joint statement stating their opposition.

“The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections,” they announced. “We will persist to cover the US military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the values of a free and independent press.”

This near-unanimous stance is justified – and it is heartening to witness such unity. This type of journalistic cohesion is powerful – and the public could benefit from much more of it, particularly when the press are frequently under siege.

Journalism vs. Stenography

No matter how much the defense chief might wish it, reporting is not mere transcription, and the government-sanctioned story is often only a starting point for more thorough investigation that uncovers the facts.

The policy has been characterized as a “assault on facts” that obviously imperils the purpose of free press guarantees and undermines the public’s right to understand what their leaders is undertaking.

The defense chief's response to this widespread defiance was marked by a juvenile display of digital icons on social media, waving goodbye organizations that declined to comply.

Escalation of Press Restrictions

This latest effort represents an increase in controls. Not only does the Pentagon rarely hold media availabilities now, but previously it also banned reporters from most of the building without an minder. This departure from historical precedent impeded the capacity of correspondents to gather detailed information through everyday interactions.

Under the revised rules, journalists could be designated a security risk simply for inquiring defense personnel for sensitive information.

Determination of Journalistic Mission

It is certain that reporters and their news outlets will persist to report on the activities of the Pentagon, educating the public about their leaders' decisions.

Access isn’t paramount. In fact, the professional pursuit for proximity to powerful people and institutions – and the impulse to maintain that access – may impede accurate journalism.

As a previous journalist observed, reporters can continue performing their duties through means besides transmitting government-sanctioned information to the public.

“Reporting of the military can be conducted through unauthorized disclosures, public records requests, and additional cooperative means harnessing the protections of the law,” the journalist stated. And they can persist in this work, they added, “till this misguided regime reaches its conclusion.”