Friday, August 17, 2007

[The Chosun Ilbo, August 17 2007] Reporters to Boycott Police Media Policy

Reporters are up in arms about police attempts to restrict press access to police stations starting Sept. 1. Reporters on the crime beat of 17 news companies issued a statement on Thursday saying they will boycott measures the police bill as “advanced press support.” Reporters covering the National Police Agency and local police stations called the new press policy “a measure to limit reporters’ access to police affairs and protect the police from the monitoring of the media.”

The new policy requires reporters to submit applications to the public relations office before conducting interviews with officers, indicating the interviewee and the subject of the interview. Reporters will be allowed to hold interviews only in a specially designated interview room. The police notified reporters of the new policy on Tuesday. Reporters vowed to unite to protect freedom of speech and media activities.

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