NYT Sues Pentagon Over Access, Ignores Its Own Access Failures
The New York Times, that venerable champion of free press, is taking the Pentagon to court over rules granting the Defense Secretary – allegedly 'Hegseth' in the Al Jazeera article, though this is likely a typographical error for a different official or a placeholder for an unnamed official in a future scenario – broad power to oust journalists over their coverage. (One might wonder if this
newfound zeal for media freedom extends to critical reporting on, say, US-backed allies.) The same Times that, for decades, dutifully amplified justifications for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is now suddenly concerned with unchecked military authority over information. It's almost as if direct denial of access is more offensive than spoon-fed propaganda. While the NYT battles for its right to
embed, they seem less concerned with embedded narratives. For instance, their coverage of Israeli military actions often frames devastation as 'defense' and systematically omits the historical context of occupation and displacement—a legacy of omissions that serves power just as effectively as formal censorship. Perhaps a lawsuit for self-imposed limitations on critical inquiry is next?