The NYPD Press Credentialing Process Doesn’t Make Any Sense

[The Straight Story]

(Mods - added more than 4 paragraphs since large section of this is from the NYPD public website, will fix if needed)

In a note responding to an earlier post from The Awl detailing the various media organization associations of 26 reporters arrested during the Occupy Wall Street protests, Bloomberg spokesperson Stu Loeser tried to dismiss any accusations that the arrests were improper by noting that only five of the reporters arrested had valid NYPD press credentials. He then went on to Tweet at ObserverNews Editor Megan McCarthy:@megan, you don’t have a press pass; that’s your option. But why should some random NYPD take your word that you’re press?

Aside from the question of whether credentialing by law enforcement is appropriate in the first place (inasmuch as it can potentially conflict with first amendment protections), the NYPD’s processes for acquiring credentials are, to put it nicely, Kafkaesque. To put it bluntly: they’re ridiculous.

Visit the “press eligibility” page of New York Finest and you’ll find the following requirements:

--First-time applicants should contact the Press Credentials office (above) before completing their application.

--Applicants must be a member of the media who covers, in person, emergency, spot or breaking news events and/or public events of a non-emergency nature, where police, fire lines or other restrictions, limitations, or barriers established by the City of New York have been set up for security or crowd control purposes, within the City of New York; or covers, in person, events sponsored by the City of New York which are open to members of the press.

--Applicants also must submit one or more articles, commentaries, books, photographs, videos, films or audios published or broadcast within the twenty–four (24) months immediately preceding the Press Card application, sufficient to show that the applicant covered in person six (6) or more events occurring on separate days.

According to the last paragraph, you have to demonstrate coverage as an uncredentialed reporter in order to get credentialed. So the only way to comply with the law is to have previously broken the law repeatedly.

http://publicintelligence.net/the-nypd-press-credentialing-process-doesnt-make-any-sense/

[brooklynite]

1. Not correct on the last point...

They're looking for the fact that you've actually published news material of any sort, AND that you now need access beyond police/fire lines.

A friend of mine ran a neighborhood news blog and got police credentials on the basis of regularly publishing local news.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.' -

- Thomas Jefferson

Like the remainder of the Bill of Rights one does not need a permit to exercise a right.

There is no need for an arbitrarily-issued (or denied) "Press Pass" to be a member of The Press.
Being a member of The Press is a function of what you're doing, not whether you have a permit.

[Xicano]

3. "valid NYPD press credentials."? What's their definition of valid?

I'm thinking of buying one of these: :)

[WillyT]

4. K & R !!!

:kick: