Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Honeymoon Is Over or Was It Set Up.

From JSOnline
"3 news agencies reject Obama handout photos

By Associated Press

Posted: Jan. 22, 2009"
3 news agencies reject Obama handout photos - JSOnline

New York - Three news agencies refused to distribute White House-provided photos of President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on Wednesday, arguing that access should have been provided to news photographers.

The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse said the White House was breaking with longstanding tradition in not allowing news photographers to capture the president at work in the Oval Office on his first day.

"We are not distributing what are, in effect, visual press releases," said Michael Oreskes, managing editor for U.S. news at the AP.

The news agencies have used White House-provided images in the past for areas in the White House where media access is generally not permitted, such as the Situation Room or the private residence. But they contend that the Oval Office is the public office of the president and photographers should have access rather than relying on a government handout.

The White House later released a photograph of the president retaking the oath of office with Chief Justice John Roberts, which the AP also rejected.

The Journal Sentinel obtained its copy of the photo from the McClatchy News Service and used it on today's front page. The Journal Sentinel also rejected the Oval Office photo but decided to use the picture of the swearing-in because of its historic significance.

Courtney Dolan, spokeswoman for Thomson Reuters, argued that "using these photos would be a major break with established precedent and would compromise the long-held tradition of independent photo coverage of the president and the White House by the major news agencies."


Now they can say they are fair and balanced with news about Obama. "See, see, we aren't puppets for Obama".

Maybe this was set up by Obama and the Press. Makes O the good guy and the press the cry babies. Anything is possible with the MSM and Obama.

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