New Orleans Media Ban Overturned

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials said last Tuesday (September 6) it did not want photographs taken of the dead and would not allow journalists to accompany rescue and recovery boats. Journalist groups, including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, mounted a protest on Wednesday. A “zero access” policy containing media coverage was set in place Friday (September 9) jointly by US Army Lt. General Russel Honore and New Orleans Security Director Terry Ebbert after which CNN filed a lawsuit.

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Visual images of dead bodies floating in sewage-laden waters have focused outrage, both in the US and around the world, at government response to Hurricane Katrina. Not all media watchers favor reporting – and showing – the New Orleans death and destruction. Heritage Foundation media specialist Mark Tapscott, reported by Reuters and quoted in Editor & Publisher, said “Let’s not make a common decency issue into a censorship issue.” The Heritage Foundation is a long time advocate of smaller government and supporter of Bush administration policies.

The US government decided not fight the temporary restraining order issued by US District Court Judge Keith Ellison saying the order was misunderstood and not intended to prevent news media from doing its job, according to a deputy to General Honore quoted by CNN. Judge Ellison was considering making the restraining order permanent on Saturday before the government announced that it would not enforce its earlier order.

The CNN lawsuit was filed against Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Michael Brown. CNN, according to its own reporting, directed the legal challenge at Brown because “the officials who announced the decision were acting on FEMA’s behalf.” Brown, a Bush administration political appointee, suffered criticism as “inexperienced” was “returned to Washington,” but not fired. His replacement in the New Orleans relief effort is highly respected Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen, who has directed search and rescue operations for much of his professional career.

Police confiscated cameras and notebooks of a New York Times photographer last week after the photographer took pictures of the aftermath of a gun battle between civilians and police, which left “one man dead in a pool of blood.”

Also last week New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered 25,000 body bags. Ebbert said Friday that FEMA is responsible for all “morgue issues.”

US authorities have prevented media coverage, especially visual images, of dead or seriously injured military personal returned to the United State from Iraq and Afghanistan citing privacy concerns.

New Orleans Media Ban Overturned

CNN sought and was granted a restraining order against US authorities in New Orleans.