European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 02, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4. A the stars and stripes tuesday july 2, 1991war-news Rule Pentagon helped sanitize Story report says by Harry f. Rosenthal the associated press Washington a top executives of 17 news organizations Are asking the Pentagon to revise its War coverage policies because restrictions in the persian Gulf a made it impossible for reporters and photographers to Tell the Public the full citing a string of roadblocks placed before War correspondents the news chiefs said the restrictions had Little to do with Security. Instead they served to sanitize the nature of War and the image of the military they said. A television print and radio alike Start with one sobering realization Quot the journalists said. A there was virtually no coverage of the Gulf ground War until it was the report went to defense Secretary Dick Cheney along with a 10-Point a statement of principles a designed to a strike the proper balance Between the Public s right to know and the legitimate need to preserve operation Security during War. The executives suggested a meeting with Cheney to find common ground. A we arc cry receptive to suggestions from these experts in the news Industry a said Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams. A we think there were Good and sufficient reasons Why we undertook the arrangements we had in the persian Gulf but we Are always interested in ways we could do things better a news executives noted polls that indicate the Public was largely satisfied with coverage but told Cheney that nonetheless they think it s imperative that the War a not serve As a Model for future coverage. Specifically they said Independent reporting should displace the pot i system by which journalists were organized into Small groups and escorted into the Field. The journalists provided Cheney with numerous accounts to demonstrate that once the ground War began their stories and pictures were ensnared by a system that combined Security review with logistic delays. The news executives designated Louis d. Boccardi president of the associated press to arrange a meeting with Cheney. A this is an Effort by the news Industry to try to speak in As close to one voice As we Ever get about the problems that confronted us in the Gulf a Boccardi said. A if there is an overriding theme it is that Independent reporting would be the efforts were endorsed by the american society of newspaper editors the american newspaper publishers association and the radio television news directors association. The journalists principles began a Independent reporting will be the principal Means of coverage of . Military operations. The use of pools should be limited. Pools Are meant to bring a representative group of journalists along with the first elements of any major . Military operation. These pools should last no longer than the very first stages of a deployment a the initial 24 hours to 36 James k. Batten chairman of the Knight Ridder newspaper group said that a the Way press relations were managed in the persian Gulf sets an unwise precedent for the country As Well As for the press. It s important that the precedent not be allowed to go Quot a Richard c. Wald senior vice president for Abc news said a Good will on All sides fell away once we actually got into the the importance of the Issue is illustrated by the diverse group of news executives who signed the letter. A i do not remember a time in the recent past when we All got together on a thing like this a Wald said. A but it hit everybody the same the letter to Cheney was signed by Boccardi Batten Roone Arledge of Abc news Peter s. Prichard Usa today Katharine Graham the Washington Post and Peter Kann the Wall Street journal. Other signers were Jason Mcmanus time Warner inc. Eric Ober of lbs news Arnold Rosenfeld Cox newspapers Richard m. Smith Newsweek inc. Max Frankel the new York times Michael g. Gartner Abc news Tom Johnson can David Laventhol the los Angeles times Donald Newhouse the Newark Star Ledger Burl Osborne the Dallas morning news and Al Rossiter jr., United press international., their statement said journalists in a combat zone should receive credentials from the military and Quot be required to abide by a Clear set of military Security guidelines Quot a risking expulsion if they done to. In turn news people would have Access to major fighting units and be allowed to file their stories and pictures without unnecessary delay. Military Public affairs officers would act As liaisons without interfering with the reporting process. News material would not be subject to Security review. A by controlling what journalists saw and when they saw it the military exercised great Power to shape and manage the news. Again and it again this Power was used to prevent coverage of newsworthy events on a timely basis a said a supporting document drawn up by a group of Washington Bureau chiefs. The document cites these incidents a . Troops fixed bayonets and charged a Newsweek reporter photographer team. A military escorts repeatedly stepped in front of cameras to Stop an interview or stared menacingly at service members making unfavourable remarks. A news Crews were forcibly detained or threatened with expulsion for pursuing stories. A the failure of the Pool system to deliver stories and pictures became a Nightmare in which eyewitness accounts trickled in Days after the Battles had ended a and Long after they had been described in vivid detail by unnamed Pentagon officials working the corridors in Washington a the journalists leaders gathering to dedicate museum the Rev. Jesse Jackson Center visits the Lorraine Motel where the Rev. Martin Luther King was slain. Of 1 he Marlin Luther King or. Center for nonviolent social change in Atlanta. Memphis Tenn. Apr the Vanguard of americans struggle for equal rights in the 1950s and 1960s will come together this week to dedicate a National civil rights museum at the Motel where the Rev. Martin Luther King or. Was slain. The five Day Celebration is attracting speakers As diverse in their civil rights approaches As Rosa Parks and ii. Rap Brown a former Black Power Leader now known As Jamil Abdula Al Amil. Quot this is a unique Opportunity to give us a Chance to sit Down and reflect on what we be Learned Over the past 3 1 years and How we can move from Here a said do army Bailey a circuit court judge who was expelled from Southern University in Louisiana in 1962 because of his civil rights involvement. A this museum is not the past. It is the future a leaching tool from the past to inspire us for the future a Bailey said. The museum Celebration began with a Church service sunday at the Mason Temple led by the revs. Jesse Jackson and Joseph Lowery president of the Southern Christian leadership conference which was founded by King. A Jackson said it has taken 23 years to build a civil rights museum because it took that Long to Deal with a fall the pain hurt.�?�. King gave his last Public address april 3, 1968. At the Temple. In it he made vague references to his own mortality. A a i just want to do god s will and he has allowed me to go up to the Mountain. And i have looked Over and i be seen the promised King said. Quot i May not get there with you but i want you to know tonight that we As a people will gel to the promised King was fatally wounded april 4, 1968, on the second floor Balcony of the Lorraine Motel the Centrepiece of the $9.2 million National civil rights museum. A there is something powerful about coming to this place where he gave his last Sermon where he projected his Mountaintop vision where he led his last March and breathed his last breath Quot Jackson said before the service the Celebration was to wrap up july 4, the original opening Date for the museum. Construction delays have moved the opening to aug. 31. A 1 he Small Motel which had become a Haven for prostitutes and drug dealers Over the years was crumbling in disrepair when Bailey and others formed a non profit foundation to buy it Ai foreclosure auction. The museum is being built by the state and local governments. The Celebration will include three Days of panel discussions at Rhodes College of Memphis and Lemoyne Owen College. King s widow Coretia Scott King and Parks will speak tonight at a banquet called a a Salute to Coretta King is the founder and chief executive officer i arks arrest Lor refusing to give up her seat to a while passenger set off a citywide bus Boycott in Montgomery ala., m 1955, the 381-Day Boycott played a major role in shaping the civil rights struggle throughout the South and helped establish King s position As a Leader of the movement. 1 Don t know that Rosa Parks has Ever been thanked Lor going to jail because she would t give up her seat on a kus4. V Bailey said. A on july 4, in Memphis Tenn., we will be saying ,
