[Infowarrior] - DOD Directive on News Reporting

[Richard Forno]

http://cryptome.org/dodd-5122-05.pdf

DoDD 5122.05, September 5, 2008

SUBJECT: Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ASD(PA))

PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION

It is the policy of the Department of Defense to make available timely  
and accurate information so that the public, Congress, and the news  
media may assess and understand the facts about national security and  
defense strategy. Requests for information from organizations and  
private citizens shall be answered in a timely manner. In carrying out  
the policy, the following principles of information will apply:

a. Information will be made fully and readily available, consistent  
with the statutory requirements, unless its release is precluded by  
current and valid security classification. The provisions of the  
Freedom of Information Act will be supported in both letter and spirit.

b. A free flow of general and military information will be made  
available, without censorship or propaganda, to the men and women of  
the Armed Forces and their dependents.

c. Information will not be classified or otherwise withheld to protect  
the Government from criticism or embarrassment.

d. Information will be withheld only when disclosure would adversely  
affect national security, threaten the safety or privacy of the men  
and women of the Armed Forces, or if otherwise authorized by statute  
or regulation.

e. The Department of Defense’s obligation to provide the public with  
information on its major programs may require detailed public affairs  
planning and coordination within the Department of Defense and with  
the other Government agencies. The sole purpose of such activity is to  
expedite the flow of information to the public; propaganda has no  
place in DoD public affairs programs.

STATEMENT OF DoD PRINCIPLES FOR NEWS MEDIA COVERAGE OF DoD OPERATIONS

1. Open and independent reporting shall be the principal means of  
coverage of U.S. military operations.

2. Media pools (limited number of news media who represent a larger  
number of news media organizations for news gatherings and sharing of  
material during a specified activity) are not to serve as the standard  
means of covering U.S. military operations. However, they sometimes  
may provide the only means of early access to a military operation. In  
this case, media pools should be as large as possible and disbanded at  
the earliest opportunity (in 24 to 36 hours, when possible). The  
arrival of early-access media pools shall not cancel the principle of  
independent coverage for journalists already in the area.

3. Even under conditions of open coverage, pools may be applicable for  
specific events, such as those at extremely remote locations or where  
space is limited.

4. Journalists in a combat zone shall be credentialed by the U.S.  
military and shall be required to abide by a clear set of military  
security ground rules that protect U.S. Armed Forces and their  
operations. Violation of the ground rules may result in suspension of  
credentials and expulsion from the combat zone of the journalist  
involved. News organizations shall make their best efforts to assign  
experienced journalists to combat operations and to make them familiar  
with U.S. military operations.

5. Journalists shall be provided access to all major military units.  
Special operations restrictions may limit access in some cases.

6. Military PA officers should act as liaisons, but should not  
interfere with the reporting process.

7. Under conditions of open coverage, field commanders should be  
instructed to permit journalists to ride on military vehicles and  
aircraft when possible. The military shall be responsible for the  
transportation of pools.

8. Consistent with its capabilities, the military shall supply PA  
officers with facilities to enable timely, secure, compatible  
transmission of pool material and shall make those facilities  
available, when possible, for filing independent coverage. If  
Government facilities are unavailable, journalists, as always, shall  
file by any other means available. The military shall not ban  
communications systems operated by news organizations, but  
electromagnetic operational security in battlefield situations may  
require limited restrictions on the use of such systems.

9. Those principles in paragraph 8 shall apply as well to the  
operations of the standing DoD National Media Pool system.