Media Access on Capitol Hill

Your Executive Committee continues to pursue ways to protect and enhance our access to members of Congress at a time we frequently reach capacity in the hallways during active coverage of news.

We are compelled to write this letter because of two recent developments.  Within the last few weeks, staff with the Senate Rules Committee briefly banned hallway interviews with Senators, in part due to crowded corridors. 

Additionally, the Speaker’s Office met with our committee early this month to express similar concerns on the House side.  All members of the congressional community – including journalists – are growing concerned about the impact this is having on safety, particularly as it relates to the proliferation of cameras that have turned some of these areas into hazardous zones.

The Executive Committee strongly favors self-policing measures to avoid further restrictions to our access on Capitol Hill, including possible temporary removal of a Gallery member’s credentials for failure to comply with the on-site direction of Gallery staff, who are working diligently to assist us in this effort.   

If you have any suggestions on helping us better enforce the respectful gathering of broadcast media as we encounter members of Congress in congressional hallways, please do not hesitate to let us know. 

Here is a link to our current rules on covering Capitol Hill for your review:

http://rtcacaphill.org/about-rtca/coverage-rules/ 

Thanks,               

Craig Caplan
C-SPAN Capitol Hill Producer
2017 Congressional Radio-TV Correspondents’ Association Chair on behalf of the RTCA Executive Committee