US Forest Service wants to impose a $1,500 permit fee and advance story approval for journalists on the agencys public timberland while using cameras (which theoretically includes iPhone cameras, GoPros, video cameras or any other image capturing) while reporting on non-breaking news. They want a $1,000 fine imposed on any violator (which theoretically includes a blogger, journalism student, National Geographic photographer, hiking magazine camera person, or an NPR reporter who clicks a picture to tweet). Journalism groups are loudly objecting to whats widely seen as out-of-touch government overreach of a free press. Can you imagine that kind of federal government pre-screening of critical news coverage? USFS Director Tom Tidwell says this is not the intent but has failed to change the language of the proposal. How did his staff think this was okay?
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 22:18:00 +0000