Why Aren't We Scared Yet? Instances of the Gag Culture

Below are some sample indications of gag rules instituted around the country, most found through searches on the database Nexis. Actually, I think the number of gag rule stories that can be unearthed is limited only by the time anyone can spend on such a database.

Seriously, how does this compare with a dictatorial culture? How do we assume that the press gets most of the information critical to people?

---“Key Biscayne Manager Steve Williamson instituted a sweeping gag order on employees speaking to the media this month,” said the Key Biscayne Independent on Dec. 22. The news outlet says the gag order, “comes after some tough news stories for the Village [of Key Biscayne] in the past year.”

The policy, as reproduced by the Key Biscayne Independent, said, “Village of Key Biscayne staff will not communicate in any manner with any media entity without the approval of the Village Manager and/or the Community Engagement and Communications Manager.”

When the story became a point of discussion on LinkedIn, some city managers said they concurred with the policy as a way to prevent misinformation, that it is not a free speech issue, or having employee groups open up is a recipe for disaster.

---The Prison Policy Initiative on Dec. 13, posted a look at gag rules in prisons and, “reviewed research from the Society of Professional Journalists and from Frank LoMonte, currently Co-Chair of the Free Speech and Free Press Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, to show how common and far-reaching these gag rules are in the criminal legal system.”

The article says that although the policies are quite common, they are unconstitutional and unenforceable.

---Newsgathering gets complicated when employees and leaders won’t speak to the media and the city tells journalists, “Not to contact staff members directly,” said Myrtle Beach Online , Nov. 19.

The article says, for instance, Georgetown County’s policy says, “only approved spokespeople can speak directly with the media, including the county’s public information officer, the county administrator and directors and their designees.”


--- The Chronicle-Tribune of Marion, Indiana, made a public records request for any written guidelines and polices for city employees interacting with the media, according to a December 2 article. The paper said it made the request, “because every time it tried to speak with a city employee, it was directed to speak to the mayor instead, even if it was on a matter that the city employee was more equipped to answer. Not only was the paper redirected to the mayor, city employees said they needed to get interviews approved by the mayor.”

The mayor eventually told the newspaper that, “the city's supervisor of marketing and community development, is the new point of contact for media questions.”