Media Coverage of United States vs. Pfc. Bradley E. Manning

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

MEDIA ADVISORY

The U.S. Army Military District of Washington
Guardians of the Nation’s Capital

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13-13
DATE:  April 29, 2013

-- MEDIA COVERAGE OF MOTION HEARING --

WASHINGTON – The military judge has scheduled a motions hearing in the case of United States vs. Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, beginning Tuesday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m., at Fort George G. Meade, Md.  Manning is charged with aiding the enemy; wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the internet knowing that it is accessible to the enemy; theft of public property or records; transmitting defense information; fraud and related activity in connection with computers; and for violating Army Regulations 25-2 “Information Assurance” and 380-5 “Department of the Army Information Security Program.”

Press credentials to cover U.S. vs. Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, will be granted to journalists who are employed by accredited news organizations for the purpose of editorial coverage.

Press credentials will be granted to reporters from the following types of news media:
•     Newspapers, weeklies, and magazines
•     Wire services
•     Broadcast media
•     Web media
•     Accredited freelance writers

Required Material for Receiving Official Approval

For journalists:
•     Media identification, such as a local, national and international accredited press pass, issued by a recognized news organization.

•     Letter on official letterhead from the editor of a publication/web site or producer of a broadcast program certifying the affiliation, verifying assignment to the legal proceedings, and including the editor's contact information.

For journalism students:
•     A letter on official school letterhead, signed by a department professor, verifying assignment to the legal proceedings and including the professor’s contact information.

For freelance journalists:
•     Copies of bylined articles and an official letter of assignment from the editor/producer from an accredited news organization for which you will be covering.

For newsletter media:
•     Newsletter media must submit current issues of their newsletter containing at least one bylined article. If a representative was registered as media at previous legal proceedings, one of the issues submitted must illustrate the resulting editorial coverage.

For reporters from online media and bloggers:
•     Reporters must provide appropriate media credentials as noted above for journalists.

•     Bloggers must provide the URL for the website for which they are writing.

•     Examples of posts that demonstrate recent coverage of the military judicial system must be supplied.

U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs reserves the right to grant press credentials on a case-by-case basis. Circumstances and number of media requesting credentials may make it that not all requests can be granted; however, every effort will be made to ensure varied media representation.

Accredited media organizations interested in covering the hearing must register for credentials by email to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@mail.mil.  Registration must be completed no later than 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 15.  Information listed below is required for registration.

      a. Name of the organization
      b. Number of personnel attending
      c. Names of personnel attending
      d. Is your organization bringing a live truck, and if so what size?
      e. A phone number where you can be reached after hours in case of schedule changes.
      f. News assignment editor/telephone number/email
      g. Vehicle make/model/year/color; license tag number/state

EDITOR’S NOTES/MEDIA ACCESS INFORMATION:
1.  Due to limited number of media seating within the courtroom, this 39a hearing will be a pooled event.  Not all requests can be granted; however, every effort will be made to ensure varied media representation. The U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office will contact media outlets with their credential status no later than 4 p.m., Friday, May 17.

For planning purposes, the hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21 – Friday, May 24.

2.  All media are required to present press credentials, sign ground rules, and forfeit a photo ID in order to gain access to the military installation and the hearing.

3.  Recording devices, both voice and video, are not allowed in the courtroom or media center.  Electronic devices (i.e., computers, cell phones, radios, pagers, iPods/iPads, and similar devices) are not allowed in the courtroom.  These devices must be left in the media operations center or secured within your vehicle.

4.  A security sweep of equipment will take place prior to gaining access to the military installation. Personnel attending the hearing will be subject to magnetometer screening and/or search prior to entering any of the secured areas.

5.  Photographers and videographers will be pre-positioned in a fixed press pit outside the courtroom.  All live trucks will be parked at a designated parking area and be removed no later than one hour after court recesses for the day, understanding flexibility may be required based on time of recess and the news cycle.

6.  All updates during the hearing will be given at the media operations center.  All on camera interviews will be conducted at the fixed press pit outside of the courtroom or the stand-up area by the live trucks.

7.  Credentialed media must arrive at the designated time provided or they will not be credentialed that day.
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Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE