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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 10, 1991)
NATIONAL News organizations criticize Pentagon rules WASHINGTON (AP) - Sev eral major news organizations Wednesday protested Pentagon ground rules for covering war in the Persian Gulf that restrict descriptions of combat and re quire military review of combat dispatches. In letters to the Pentagon, the organizations said the rules would unacceptably limit com bat coverage to pools — small groups of reporters who share their work with colleagues — and would give the military too much control over reporting Separately, Rep. Frank McClnskey, D-Ind , a member of the House Armed Services Committee, urged Gominittee Chairman Les Aspin. D-Wis,, to pressure the Pentagon to drop many of the planned restric tions. He said he was seeking a congressional hearing on the subject. And in Kurepe. Britain and France announced similar re strictions for correspondents with their troops. "We think the existing pro posals go far beyond what is re quired to protect troop safety and mission security." the four major television networks said in a letter to Defense Secretary Dick Cheney. "Specifically, we object in the strongest possible terms to the so-called 'security review' previsions that set up cumber some barriers to timely and re sponsible reporting and and raise the specter of government censorship of a free press " The review provision pro vides that matter objected to by reviewing offices will l>e re ferred to the Pentagon, which will discuss it with the organi /.ation concerned. "Security review may not be censorship in its purest form, but it compromises the free flow of information with offi cial intrusion and government oversight." said the letter signed by three network news division presidents — Roone Arledge of ABO. Eric Obcr of CBS and Michael G. Gartner of NBC and Tom Johnson. presi dent of the Cable News Net work The Associated Press, in a separate letter to the Pentagon, objected to the security review provision and several others, including a prohibition on re porting "details of major battle damage or major personnel lossess" until announced by the Pentagon. "You could drive an Army truck through this provision." Waltz on board LTD #31A and wail on home to Westmoreland, West 18th and Bailey Hill from the Uof 0 Passage is free to aMU of 0 students*, faculty and staff In fact, you can change your tune and go anywhere, anytime—free with LTD’s Club Express Your U of 0 I D card is your passport to unlimited adventure! OTHER DIRECT PASSAGE ROUTES TOORFROMTHEUOFO: #3XEXPRESS (Rnw RoadSartaCWa «u Coteag Road art MRna) #11 THURSTON (E S<rr^*wUa«i Si | # 11X EXPRESS I'nuttonlodWi) #21 LCC HARRIS #23X EXPRESS (FnHolooOonaM) #23 FOX HOLLOW (foa HotnaOonatd) #21U OF O'HILYARO . 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"This is simply unaccept able.” Muller wrote. "Pools are intended as short-term, stopgap measures until independent coverage can be arranged. I know of no precedent for the kind of open-ended and severe ly limiting policy that the Pen tagon is contemplating in this case." Other news organizations said they had protested, or planned to The New York Times, in an editorial Wednesday, applaud ed the Pentagon for dropping some restrictions and said there were times when military cen sorship was acceptable for se curity reasons. But it cautioned the Pentagon against using the reviews for reasons other than protecting safety and security. Eugene's westside neighborhood cafe, fea turing home baked breads and desserts. 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