30 January 2002

Cryptome applied to the New York Police Department on January 14 for New York City press credentials, using a form provided on the NYPD Web site. We described ourselves as a "Web publisher."

Yesterday we were told that we did not meet requirements for press credentials because we could not provide letters of reference from previous press employers. And that our self-employment for 30 years and operating Cryptome for six years were not sufficient. We have today sent an e-mail appeal of the decision to Commissioner Raymond Kelly (below).

New York City thrives on intense, redundant, fatuous press coverage and is the home of the world's greatest collection of vainglorious attention seekers, media companies, journalists, and publicity promoters. To be refused press credentials here must be a singular honor or a sign of city's obsession with maintaining its allure for attackers of its own exclusive clubby press manufacture. What other police department would hire a former Marine general and a CIA head of espionage to pimp its desirability with press-terrorism-drunk Washington DC except a new Commish just back from poppy farming national security?

Press credentials are issued by the NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information (DCPI), an office headed most often by a journalist not a professional police officer. (Issuing of press credentials worldwide are always overseen by "press police," those who either work for the authorities or operate unofficial press credentialing bodies.) The DCPI web site flashes that it accepts applications 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

The credentials application includes a section for "new media" and asks for material supporting that category, which was provided by printouts from Cryptome.

We were questioned during two phone calls with the DCPI office about whether the application was being made in connection with the World Economic Forum (Davos) being held in NYC. We said no, that the press credentials were needed to cover New York events in general which were not accessible to citizens. We cited news of WTC as an example of our recent coverage. (A New York Times photographer was arrested at the WTC site for using a friend's press pass because his own had lapsed. It is impossible to get permission to visit the site without press credentials.)

Questions the denial of Cryptome's application raises:

1. Was the denial caused by Cryptome's publishing policy statement:

Cryptome welcomes documents for publication that are prohibited by governments worldwide, in particular material on freedom of expression, privacy, cryptology, dual-use technologies, national security and intelligence -- open, secret and classified documents -- but not limited to those.

2. Is the NYPD and other authorities so fearful of press imposters during the World Economic Conference that they are excluding novel means of news coverage?

3. What role in press credentialling is being played by the ex-CIA director of espionage, David Cohen, newly hired by the NYPD as Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence?

4. Are old-line journalists such as DCPIs covertly excluding non-traditional, new media from getting press credentials -- as often rumored throughout the profession but publically denied?

5. What option is available for press credentialling of new media practitioners who have no background in the legacy press, not just in NYC but in general around the globe?

6. What role do governmental and intelligence agencies play, covertly or openly, in press credentialing, especially since 9/11?

7. How do authorities handle persons covering the news who have been denied press credentials?

From: crmrepl@crm.nyc.gov
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 13:59:37 -0500
To: jya@pipeline.com
Subject: =?windows-1252?Q?NYC.gov_Auto_Acknowledgment_Correspondence_#_1-471822?=

Dear John Young:

Thank you for using NYC.gov to submit your message.  Your message has been forwarded to the appropriate Agency for review and handling.

For future reference, your NYC.gov Correspondence Number is 1-471822.

Sincerely,

The City of New York

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

Comments welcome. Send to: jya@pipeline.com

30 January 2002

  hi John. had a conversation about a month ago in which
  i thought of cryptome, as i was speaking with a phd candidate
  for media law and ethics, and got into the description of how
  the traditional news orgs differentiate themselves from the
  new media peoples.

  the main point seemed to be around the definition of publisher,
  that is, if one just forwards someone else's news, or if they
  add a new dimension to a piece, and make it there own. i think
  cryptome definitely does both, with links and with content that
  is direct and interactive journalism.

  there is very little out in the open from what i've heard about
  what makes one a journalist (besides the official document/
  press pass). and i think the legal grounds are very shakey, in
  that they are out of whack with where things are at. thus, it
  appears to be personal discretion almost, so it seems, and then
  the issue that one needs the press pass to get the 'free speech'
  credentials, else, to put it in words of the person i spoke with,
  you do not have your individual rights protected when writing.

  just some thoughts.
  b

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 13:35:59 -0500 (EST)
From: i
To: jya@pipeline.com

Here's a complaint I've just sent to the NYPD Commissioner's office via that URL you referenced...

<QUOTE>

I've just read an article at cryptome.org about their journalists being denied press passes by the NYPD.  Being from Michigan, I depend on independent news sources such as that site both professionally and as an American citizen.  Please look into this matter and help ensure that journalists are given reasonable access to the sorts of information controlled by public servants such as the NYPD.

Thank you.

</QUOTE>

Cheers.

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 15:02:04 -0500
From: M
Subject: NYC press credentials

I enjoy your site almost every day; thanks for your efforts to make it available.  Your efforts, I feel, embody the spirit of this country's revolutionary heritage practiced by the pamphleteers of the 1700's.

I'm not familiar with the arcane practices of the 'press' regarding how legitimacy is established, but it seems to me that anyone interested in providing 'news' via any outlet should be given credentials to collect such news.  After all, freedom of the press in this country is generally extended to anyone with a press.  Cryptome certainly meets that definition, even if your ink is electronic.  If you can claim freedom of the press, then you are by definition a member of the press, right?  If security is a concern for a specific venue, such as the Olympics, let the prevailing authorities conduct background checks similar to those used to provide clearance for 'secrets'.

By the way, have you considered applying for credentials in other cities as a way of establishing precedence and your 'credibility'?  If nothing else it's a way to reveal whether there are biases in play regarding how civil authorities treat freedom of the press.

From: WMadsen777@aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 22:08:37 EST
Subject: Reference

30 January 2002

To: The NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information (DCPI)

Subj: Letter of Reference for John Young, Publisher of Cryptome

I will verify that Mr John Young, the publisher of Cryptome.org, operates one of the most widely read web sites in the world and is a very legitimate and often cited web journalist. I am personally aware that his Cryptome site is read daily by high-level government officials in the Justice Department, FBI, CIA, National Security Agency, and by a host of officials in governments, corporations, and educational institutions worldwide. I am positive his readership likely exceeds that of the the daily papers of Providence, RI, Charleston, SC, and San Diego, CA.

I hope you will extend him the professional courtesy of NYPD press credentials.

Sincerely,

Wayne Madsen

Washington Correspondent, Intelligence Online &
Elsevier Advanced Technology
Member, National Press Club, Washington, DC
Member, National Writers Union, AFL CIO Local 1961