Epoch Times Reporter Learns Pentagon Rules Don't Apply to Pentagon
Epoch Times reporter Holly Kellum resigned after her publication signed onto the Pentagon’s 'Ground Rules' concerning Gaza coverage. While the NYT frames this as internal drama, the underlying issue is the Pentagon (and by extension, the US State Department) dictating press access and operational parameters—a tactic honed over decades. This isn't new; recall the 'embedding' strategy during the
Iraq War, where journalists were essentially chaperoned to ensure 'favorable' coverage. It’s less about transparency and more about control. This 'ethical dilemma' for one reporter highlights a systemic problem: media outlets voluntarily ceding editorial control to the very institutions they're meant to scrutinize. When the Pentagon can literally write the script for reporting on conflicts where
US interests (and billions in aid) are heavily invested, one might wonder what's left of independent journalism. How many 'rules of engagement' does a free press need before it becomes an arm of the state?