By Rita Cook
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
WASHINGTON D.C. – Every news outlet except for the conservative One America News Network left the Pentagon several weeks ago.
This was surprising because for years those news outlets on both sides of the aisle that most have termed as reporting “fake news” were all reporting to one higher god (Blackrock, Vanguard, State Street).
Most know as well, it is not just the media these companies own. Nevertheless, the journalists’ mass exodus from the Pentagon was a red and blue departure and it appeared to have nothing to do with who owns who and what.
It appeared the journalists in question finally got a backbone after the Secretary of the Department of Defense (I am not calling it Department of War) Pete Hegseth gave them a 17-page ultimatum to sign if they wanted to stay.
While I did not disagree with every line item from the document, I do believe no “real” journalist could ever in good conscience sign a document stating they will not release a news story that has not been authorized for public release by the Pentagon.
The word dictatorship comes to mind.
The 17-page document included a requirement for prior approval for even unclassified information and the potential revocation of credentials for non-compliance.
Press freedom advocates have denounced the policy as an infringement on the First Amendment.
Keep in mind too, it will be difficult to report on issues that the government has not explicitly approved for release. In other words, the general public will not know what “we the people’s” defense department it up to anymore.
The public is already in the dark when it comes to the Defense Department’s billions of black budget dollars.
The Hill reported the “Pentagon touts ‘next generation’ press corps of mostly right-wing outlets.”
Even as a more right-wing journalist myself, I am frightened by what is unfolding here.
Even so, there are now 60 journalists who have signed the Pentagon’s media access policy to join 26 journalists from 18 outlets who have agreed to the new rules.
The list I saw of those who agreed to report only the Pentagon narrative might as well be called press officers because they are not real journalists if they are allowing the Pentagon to tell them what they write.
This includes right-wing websites such as Human Events, the Canadian website the Post Millennial; the National Pulse; The Gateway Pundit; and LindellTV, started by MyPillow CEO and President Trump ally Mike Lindell, Just the News, right-wing podcast host Tim Pool’s Timcast, Turning Point USA’s media brand Frontlines, and a Substack-based newsletter called the Washington Reporter, One America News Network, the Federalist, and the Epoch Times, a handful of foreign outlets, and freelancers and independent journalists.
Organizations including Fox News, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many others refused to sign the pledge with concerns the restrictions threaten independent newsgathering and violate the First Amendment.
Without desks at the Pentagon for reporting, and easy access inside, the narrative has now shifted to media outlets willing to let the Pentagon tell them what they can report, official releases, third-party sources, and whistleblowers.
I also do not need to tell you this should raise concerns concerning DOD oversight. This department currently has not only an annual budget that is almost a trillion dollars, but it also raises concern over democratic accountability.
All this, while Hegseth has insisted this is the “most transparent administration ever.”
Can someone define transparency for me these days?
I want to remind every person okay with this level of restrictive journalism no matter the side of the aisle your day will come. Flips always flop and what you love today because it suppresses one side will one day be the other side suppressing you.
Rita Cook is a world traveler and writer/editor who specializes in writing on travel, auto, crime and politics. A correspondent for Texas Metro News, she has published 11 books and has also produced low-budget films.
