Ex-President Barack Obama gave a secret talk in Boston yesterday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, where organizers threatened to eject and ban credentialed journalists for simply doing their jobs — prohibiting them from tweeting or reporting on the event, both during and after.
“Everyone involved in this blanket coverage ban should be embarrassed,” said Ken Paulson, the president of the First Amendment Center at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. “I’m sure President Obama has his pick of lucrative speaking gigs. Why pick one that’s the antithesis of transparency?”
Reporters were granted media credentials weeks ago, only to be slapped with the journalistic equivalent of a gag order just 24 hours before the conference. The Herald declined a credential after being informed it could purchase one for a “discounted rate” of nearly $400.
“During President Obama’s panel the following will not be permitted, without exception: photography, video recording, streaming, and social media posting — including the use of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and other platforms,” read the warning from MIT conference organizers. “Following the panel, the sharing or reporting of its contents on public platforms, including news outlets and social media, will not be permitted. This policy applies to all attendees, credentialed media included.”
Source :- bostonherald
“Everyone involved in this blanket coverage ban should be embarrassed,” said Ken Paulson, the president of the First Amendment Center at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. “I’m sure President Obama has his pick of lucrative speaking gigs. Why pick one that’s the antithesis of transparency?”
Reporters were granted media credentials weeks ago, only to be slapped with the journalistic equivalent of a gag order just 24 hours before the conference. The Herald declined a credential after being informed it could purchase one for a “discounted rate” of nearly $400.
“During President Obama’s panel the following will not be permitted, without exception: photography, video recording, streaming, and social media posting — including the use of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and other platforms,” read the warning from MIT conference organizers. “Following the panel, the sharing or reporting of its contents on public platforms, including news outlets and social media, will not be permitted. This policy applies to all attendees, credentialed media included.”
Source :- bostonherald
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