Restricted Access for Embedded Media

A B O A R D  U S S  L I N C O L N, March 14, 2003 -- The media who have been "embeded" with military units have been promised unprecedented access to cover the build-up to a possible conflict with Iraq and a war itself, if it happens.

But less than a week into the embedding, there is already a lot of bristling among some of the journalists aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier deployed to the Gulf region.

Some of them — us — began muttering when we were told we had to be accompanied by our escorts — members of the ship's crew including some public affairs officers — everywhere we went except the restroom. The escorts also monitor our interviews with ship's personnel.

A few days into the embed, they were told to keep a record of who we speak to and what we talk about. We were told it was so they would have a log of how many people were spoken to and for what stories. Reporters are famously resistant to anyone monitoring them working.

Ordered to Leave

This week, Admiral John Kelly, head of carrier Task Force 50, had an "admiral's call" for enlisted sailors in the ship's cavernous hangar bay. Some of us were informed just before it took place that we should steer clear of the meeting because it was private. But not everyone got the word.

Witnesses say when two photographers accidentally wandered into the hangar bay during the meeting, the admiral stopped suddenly and barked at them. According to one reporter, the cameramen were confronted by armed guards and ordered to leave.

Another newspaper reporter who planned to do a story about the Navy's policy prohibiting fraternization between the sexes said interviews she had arranged with ship personnel were abruptly canceled because, she said she was told, the admiral did not like the subject matter. Cynics had predicted that the military and journalists would never mix. The cynics are no doubt chuckling to themselves.