Coast Guard lifts ban on news coverage near oil spill boom

[Robbien]

Source: AP

In a statement Monday night, the government's point man for the spill, retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, said new procedures permit credentialed news media free travel within the boom safety zones.

"I have put out a direction that the press are to have clear, unfettered access to this event, with two exceptions: if there is a safety or security concern," said Allen. "This boom is critical to the defense of the marshes and the beaches."

News organizations, including The Associated Press, had argued being kept at least 65 feet away from the boom impeded the ability to cover the spill.

Allen said that was not the intent of the restriction. "We need to discriminate between media, which have a reason to be there, and somebody who's hanging around when we know that we've had equipment vital to this region damaged," he said.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/07/coast_guard_lifts_ban_on_news.html

---

The Coast Guard also said all along they have given "unprecedented media access to the largest oil spill response in U.S. history".

So if media access has always been so unfettered, why were all the paid mercs threatening people?

The Coast Guard is probably expecting the media is packing up and leaving so it is safe to go ahead and say they are releasing the ban.

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. K&R

[gateley]

2. "...within the boom safety zones." This'll be good. nt

[Robbien]

3. The coast guard is going to issue identity cards for valid press people

Of course getting these cards will likely take days, weeks?

Getting through on the 1-800 number is almost an impossibility

[gateley]

5. I'm just curious as to where the "boom safety zones" will be. New Mexico? Oregon?

They've done so much to keep people away, it's hard to believe they'll actually grant them any real access. It's so sad I've become so cynical, but they've been secretive since day one, and as Mike Papantonio said, it's like Thad Allen is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

[boppers]

6. 65 feet from a boom.

Turns out that running a propeller through a boom kind of reduces its effectiveness, and creates an *additional* problem if the boat prop is fouled and the boat is then stranded.

So, the camerapeople complaining that they can't get a vertical shot looking directly down on a boom will *still* complain that they're being censored.

You can bet on it.

[gateley]

8. There are definitely legit reasons to keep the crowds a certain distance away (including

journalists). But from the uproar, I gather they didn't explain it very well. I don't think anybody could argue with this reasoning.

[boppers]

14. Paparazzi are known for their law-abiding nature, right?

I've been struck by the cognitive dissonance:

"Look at these horrible pictures!"
"The media can't get in to take pictures!"

[gateley]

17. Well I don't think TMZ has a crew down there, but I think most of the major

outfits that consider themselves "news organizations" toe the line pretty well -- if only because they're not real journalists except for a very few.

It's interesting that John Doe has become who is feared. All he has to do us take a pic or vid w/his phone, post it on YouTube and send it to a few networks. It's we the people who are telling the real story. I bet "they" never thought they'd see the day. :evilgrin:

[Robbien]

9. All of the press being harassed so far have been on foot

So all this talk of taking unauthorized boats out is a distraction by the Coast Guard.

[boppers]

11. I've seen reports of people being harassed by the Coast Guard on boats, not on foot.

Do you have a URL to look at about someone being harassed, by the Coast Guard, when on foot?

(Or lacking that, a subset of the conditionals in the above statement?)

[Robbien]

13. You state you've seen reports

and you demand I provide URL's?

Also, you are drawing a distinction between BP/Coast Guard/Paid Mercs. They are all following the same directives from BP, thus are interchangeable.

There is no way the Coast Guard didn't check with BP before removing this ban.

[boppers]

15. No demands.

I totally accept that there have been on-waterway reports, I was asking for more URL's to expand my knowledge.

As far as three different entities having very different rules, I'm assuming that's basic logic skills.

WRT the Coast Guard checking with BP on safety zones, that makes sense to me.

[Robbien]

18. SA new video out today from FGate: BP-hired security merc turns into whistleblower

On Friday, contractor-turned-whistleblower Adam Dillon told New Orleans television station WDSU Channel 6 he was fired "after taking photos that he believes were related to the use of dispersants and to the cleanup of the oil." As a BP media liaison, he had rebuffed reporters' attempts to observe cleanup operations in Grand Isle, LA, in June, before being promoted to the BP Command Center near Houma, LA. At the command center BP manages the private contractors running practically every aspect of the spill response. Dillon, a former U.S. Army Special Operations soldier, "has lost faith in the company in charge."

video at link

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ybenjamin/detail??blogid=150&entry_id=67671

[LiberalFighter]

4. They need to instruct the local leo's that BP does not give orders.

[Lorien]

7. How magnanimous of them.

:eyes:

[boppers]

10. "why were all the paid mercs threatening people"?

Because the "people" involved are risking making the situation worse in order to get.... pictures.

"Hey, let me drive this boat over that boom, destroying it, to get a better picture!"
"Hey, don't save that bird, let it die so I can get great footage!"
"Hey, I should totally be allowed to bring a crew and equipment into a threatened wetlands area, because media don't have to honor low-impact zones!"
"Hey, random guy cleaning a beach, can you not clean for an hour so I can use 3 seconds of context-less sound-bites out of an hour-long interview?"

Media folks are pretty close to mercenary folks in the ethics department (this is not a compliment).... making the collision fairly amusing to those who have dealt with both.

[Robbien]

12. Huh?

No press has ever been harassed in a boat. Nor has BP ever provided any pictures or stories or names or instances of the press ever even being close to any boom in the water. All stories of booms being wrecked are just that stories. Stories told by BP and the Coast Guard.

No press has ever said don't save that bird. There are hundreds of stories of BP saying telling many people don't save that bird cause you don't have BP credentials. There are no stories of the press interfering.

There are plenty of stories about BP tramping threatened wetlands areas, but no stories of the press getting anywhere near tramping threatened wetlands areas.

There are plenty of stories about the press trying to talk to cleaning folk on their breaks, but no stories about the press demanding people stop cleaning.

Everything you have complained about hasn't happened. Even once. No stories, no complaints. Just BP and the Coast Guard saying they need a ban because something like that might happen sometime in the future but really they just are trying to keep everyone away from taking pictures of the damage.

[boppers]

16. I don't even know where to start.

Try a search engine.

Maybe if I take one statement, it'll be clearer:
"There are no stories of the press interfering."

There are numerous stories of the press trying to interview people who are trying to do work.

Do you deny this?

Maybe you don't think it's interference.
Maybe I do.

Maybe you can do your job, and conduct a press interview, at the same time.
Maybe I can't.

[Robbien]

19. What interference?

You said numerous stories of press interference of spill cleanup. I haven't seen a one. Not one.

All stories I've seen have been that press hasn't been even allowed to get within spitting distance of any spill cleanup efforts.

[jody]

20. k&r IMO opposition across the entire political spectrum united against CG prohibition contributed to

lifting the ban.

IMO the internet, not the ballot box, is the first small step for We the People to reclaim our government.

[KansDem]

21. Headline should have read: "Acting on orders from BP, Coast Guard lifts ban of news coverage..."

"...near oil boom." Then it can go on to say why BP has done this...