Several groups, including the White House Correspondents’ Association,the American Society of News Editors, the Associated Press Media Editors and the White House News Photographers Association, have signed letters protesting the White House’s ban on photographers during events at which the White House has its own official photographers and videographers present.
“You are, in effect, replacing independent photojournalism with visual press releases,” the groups said in the letter. “The practice is a troubling break from tradition, and belies the president’s vow to be more transparent.”
National Journal’s Ron Fournier on Thursday published a piece entitled “Obama’s Image Machine: Monopolistic Propaganda Funded by You” in which he argues that “unlike media photographers, official White House photographers are paid by taxpayers and report to the president. Their job is to make Obama look good. They are propagandists – in the purest sense of the word.”
“Again, this is propaganda – utterly lacking a skeptical eye,” Fournier continues. “The irony is that Obama is using technology that democratized and flattened the media to centralize and strengthen the powers an institution, The Presidency.”
"Obama WH is simultaneously flooding the public with state-run media while restricting access of independent media"http://t.co/QFqvwqXWVT
— Jon Ward (@jonward11) November 21, 2013
Every White House restricts access more than last one. That's not news but on the photog front, it's on another level http://t.co/zjmlcQcR8C
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) November 21, 2013
This is not a media issue — it's an *public issue* — when a WH ices press corps and builds state-run image empire: http://t.co/V0mNNQ9eVE
— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) November 21, 2013
.@PressSec, laughing at @dougmillsnyt: "Oh, so now we're like Stalin?" @OKnox: "It's not funny, Jay." http://t.co/rhzrjJe5NW –@ron_fournier
— Toby Harnden (@tobyharnden) November 22, 2013
Editor’s note: A tweet that was inadvertently included was removed from this post.
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