The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) is pushing hard for the immediate return of journalists’ access to the Defense Department. This comes after a federal judge recently declared the Pentagon’s media policy unconstitutional, which is a pretty huge deal for press freedom.
For a while now, the Pentagon had a new policy that ruffled many feathers. It stated that while publishing sensitive information was generally protected by the First Amendment, soliciting any such information could flag a reporter as a “security or safety risk.” This policy was extremely restrictive. Dozens of journalists, including many from major outlets, actually surrendered their press passes instead of complying, according to The Hill.
