How Many People in How Many Agencies Were Silenced Before the Bridge Fell?

I wrote this today for the live online conversation with Erik Wemple of the Washington Post. However, I may have been late in sending it.

Over decades the Federal establishment and many other entities have instituted rules banning staff, sometimes others, from speaking to reporters without notifying authorities. Journalism groups including SPJ are fighting the restrictions. Mostly, news outlets have acquiesced to the controls, routinely saying things like, “Good reporters get the story anyway.” A former CDC media relations head says the rules are used very effectively for political purposes. Is it ethical journalism for news outlets to not speak out about this? Is the press just assuming what we get is all there is? How many people in agencies, etc., were effectively silenced before the Francis Scott Key Bridge fell? Note reporter riding on a boat with officials can’t talk to them.