The Future of Press Credentials in NYC

Who is a reporter and who gets to decide?

A lawsuit by three web-based journalists has prompted settlement discussion between the City and lawyers for the journalists that could significantly change how journalists are credentialed in New York City. The plaintiffs in the suit were denied credentials by the NYPD that oversees the process.

As part of an effort to settle the suit, both the city and lawyers for the bloggers agreed to hold an open forum at the New York Law School to get feedback from working journalists on how the existing credential process works and how it could be reformed. Moderating the session were city lawyer Gabriel Taussig and civil liberties attorney Norman Siegel. Several news executives, reporters and photographers expressed frustration over the current status of the regulations and apprehension about some of the possible changes. Draft regs could be ready by the end of this year.