Journalist Opinion Not Allowed

Article in The Guardian by Michael Sainato, 10/26/25

Headline:  “ICE detains British journalist after criticism of Israel on US tour”

Subhead:  “Trump ally Laura Loomer took credit for Sami Hamdi’s detainment in move denounced as ‘affront to free speech’ “

“British journalist Sami Hamdi was reportedly detained on Sunday morning by federal immigration authorities at San Francisco international airport, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) says that action is apparent retaliation for the Muslim political commentator’s criticism of Israel while touring the US. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/26/ice-detains-british-muslim-journalist-laura-loomer

When Students Are Censored


Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Bill Grueskin, 10/24/25

Headline: “Hoosier Journalistic Paragon? . . .”

” ‘WE ________ JOURNALISTS MUST STAND TOGETHER.’

“That all-caps headline ran on the front page of a newspaper a few days ago. Can you fill in the blank?

“[Waiting…]

“If you guessed ‘WHITE HOUSE,’ just know that we find your naïveté sweetly (but sadly) endearing.

“If you guessed “PENTAGON,” you are getting much warmer.

“And if you guessed ‘STUDENT,’ come collect your winnings (which consist of our admiration for your brilliance)

“This all came about after administrators at Indiana University cracked down on the Indiana Daily Student newspaper. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/laurels-and-darts/hoosier-journalistic-paragon.php

Propaganda Journalists Selected


Article in The Guardian by Eric Berger, 10/22/25

Headline:  “Pentagon names new press corps from far-right outlets after reporter walkout”

Subhead:  “Spokesperson calls journalists who refused to agree to new rules ‘self-righteous media who chose to self-deport’”

“After the recent departure of Pentagon reporters due to their refusal to agree to a new set of restrictive policies, the defense department has announced a “next generation of the Pentagon press corps” featuring 60 journalists from far-right outlets, many of which have promoted conspiracy theories. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/22/pentagon-press-corps

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Article in Daily Kos by Oliver Willis, 10/22/25

Headline:  “Pentagon’s new press corps is the stuff of nightmares”

“The Trump administration announced Wednesday that a group of far-right media outlets have been given press access to the Pentagon. . .”

“The Pentagon’s new right-wing press corps is beyond ill-equipped to handle independent reporting. But when it comes to producing stories that get Hegseth’s approval, it’ll pass with flying colors.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/10/22/2349917/-Pentagon-s-new-press-corps-is-the-stuff-of-nightmares?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_1&pm_medium=web

Media Moving Day


Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Ivan L. Nagy, 10/19/25

Headline:  “The Pentagon Press Corps Is Gone”

Subhead:  “As reporters for major news outlets turn in their government-issued press badges rather than accept new restrictions, some argue that the best military journalism is yet to come.”

“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s demand that members of the Pentagon press corps sign on to restrictive reporting guidelines has prompted a mass exodus. Nearly all the journalists who had desks in the Pentagon pressroom have declined to sign, and left the building in a joint protest on Wednesday afternoon. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/news/the-pentagon-press-corps-is-gone.php

Censorship Now Hits Universities

Article in The Guardian by Ann Betts, 10/16/25

Headline:  “Indiana University orders school paper to cease print edition and fires director of student media”

Subhead:  “Editors at the Indiana Daily Student say administration’s move to control news content amounts to censorship”

“Indiana University has ordered its student-run newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student (IDS), to cease printing new editions and fired the school’s director of student media, who also served as the paper’s adviser, according to multiple reports. Students at the school are criticizing these moves as censorship. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/16/indiana-university-school-paper

Journalists’ Pentagon Walk-Out


Article in The Washington Post by Scott Nover, 10/16/25

Headline:  “Hundreds of people cover the Pentagon. These are the 15 who signed its new press policy.”

Subhead: “The Federalist, the Epoch Times and One America News signed the Defense Department’s press rules. The rest are freelancers, independent or work for media outfits based overseas.”

” . . . Journalists from nearly every major U.S. news outlet, including The Washington Post, turned in their press badges Wednesday after refusing to adhere to the new rules for reporters at the Pentagon, which prohibit soliciting any information the government doesn’t authorize reporters to have. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/10/16/more-than-100-people-cover-pentagon-only-15-signed-its-new-press-policy/

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Article in The Hill by Dominick Mastrangelo, 10/16/25

Headline: ” ‘The Daily Show’ mockingly agrees to Hegseth’s press restrictions”

” ‘After serious consideration, The Daily Show has agreed to the Pentagon’s new demands regarding press access,’ the show said in a graphic posted on social media. ‘We were going to refuse, but everyone else rejected it so hard that it honestly made us feel kinda bad for Pete Hegseth.’ . . .’

Read the full article at:

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5558261-daily-show-hegseths-pentagon-press-rules/

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Article in Daily Kos by Oliver Wells 10/16/25

Headline: “White House spews pathetic lie about Pentagon media walkout”

“. . .in response to a photo of the reporters who left, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote on X, ‘SOURCE: a few reporters on this wall have privately said they were bullied into participating in the walkout when they actually wanted to stay. ‘. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/10/16/2348899/-White-House-spews-pathetic-lie-about-Pentagon-media-walkout?

“We Don’t Need no Stinkin’ Badges”


Article in The Guardian by Jeremy Barr, 10/15/25

Headline:  “Pentagon reporters have now turned in their badges – but plan to keep reporting”

Subhead: “Reporters who declined to sign new set of Pentagon rules had to clear out of world’s largest military headquarters”

“. . .Current and former Pentagon correspondents who spoke with the Guardian said that coverage would undoubtedly suffer from a lack of proximity to administration decision-makers – though many are intent on proving that the restrictions won’t stop the work, with some even saying they plan to take a more aggressive tack. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/15/pentagon-press-reporting-policy

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Article in The Washington Post by Dan Lamothe, 10/15/25

Headline:  “Hegseth’s legal fixer at the center of Pentagon’s new media restrictions”

Subhead:  “Tim Parlatore represented the defense secretary when he faced sexual assault allegations, and also counts alleged mobsters and President Donald Trump as former clients.”

“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bid to impose sweeping restrictions on journalists’ ability to report at the Pentagon was orchestrated with advice from his longtime personal lawyer, whose role on Hegseth’s staff has troubled some defense officials. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/10/15/hegseth-media-restrictions-tim-parlatore/


Article in The New Republic by James North, 10/15/25

Headline:  “The Media Is Blowing a Big Story in Venezuela”

Subhead:  “With the president and his cronies ratcheting up their belligerence, the political press is failing to grasp how close we are to another regime change war.”

“How’s this for history repeating? The mainstream American media is botching its coverage of the Trump administration’s mounting military threats to Venezuela, and that failure is contributing to what looks to be a prolonged and violent disaster for both nations. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://newrepublic.com/article/201512/media-courting-colossal-failure-venezuela

Reporters Only Stenographers Now?

Article in The Washington Post by Scott Nover, 10/14/25

Headline:  “Media including Fox News overwhelmingly reject Pentagon press policy”

Subhead:  “The network, which is generally supportive of the Trump administration, has joined ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN in not signing the Defense Department press policy.”

“. . .Today, we join virtually every other news organization in declining to agree to the Pentagon’s new requirements, which would restrict journalists’ ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues,’ the news networks wrote. ‘The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/10/14/fox-news-among-broadcasters-refusing-sign-pentagon-press-pledge/

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Article in Mediaite by Sarah Rumpf, 10/14/25

Headline:  “Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon Press Crackdown Gets Absolutely Walloped on Fox News by Retired General”

“Retired General and former Vice Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Jack Keane was bluntly critical of the Pentagon’s new press restrictions Tuesday, telling Fox News anchor Bret Baier this was an improper attempt to “spoon-feed information” to journalists. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/pete-hegseths-pentagon-press-crackdown-gets-absolutely-walloped-on-fox-news-by-retired-general/

 

Some Media Waking Up Now?


Article in The Guardian by Edward Helmore, 10/13/25

Headline:  “US news outlets refuse to sign new Pentagon rules to report only official information”

Subhead:  “Defense department policy requires outlets to vow not to obtain unauthorized files and restricts access to some areas”

“Several leading news organizations with access to Pentagon briefings have formally said they will not agree to a new defense department policy that requires them to pledge they will not obtain unauthorized material and restricts access to certain areas unless accompanied by an official.

“The policy, presented last month by the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has been widely criticized by media organizations asked to sign the pledge by Tuesday at 5pm or have 24 hours to turn in their press credentials. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/13/defense-department-media-news-rules

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Article in The Washington Post by Scott Nover, 10/13/25

Headline: “News outlets broadly reject Pentagon rules before deadline for signing”

Subhead: “The Washington Post joined the New York Times, Newsmax and CNN in refusing to sign the restrictive new policy.”

Read the full article at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/10/13/prominent-media-reject-new-pentagon-rules-before-signing-deadline/