SEJ Objects to Sportsmen's Act Section Affecting Public Lands Reporting [1]
The Society of Environmental Journalists and five other journalism groups sent a letter July 8, 2014 objecting to a bill up for debate on the US Senate floor this week that could restrict the ability of journalists to report on stories in National Parks, National Forests and other public lands.
Organizations joining SEJ in signing the letter included the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association, the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the American Society of Media Photographers.
The letter opens, "As the Senate considers S 2363, the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014, we want to express our grave objections to inclusion of Section 108 ('Annual Permit And Fee For Film Crews Of 5 Persons Or Fewer.') This provision directly threatens the Constitutionally protected First Amendment right of a free press to gather news."