ACTIVISM UPDATE: IMF Responds on Alternative Media Exclusion
July 12, 2000
In response to a letter from a FAIR activist protesting the exclusion of community journalists from the IMF and World Bank's April meetings, IMF Senior Press Officer William Murray sent the following note:
"Thank you for your letter dated June 17, 2000 to Managing Director Horst Koehler regarding our press credential policy. Let me explain briefly what the IMF and World Bank policy is regarding press access at our regular Spring committee meetings.
"The IMF and World Bank do not accredit as journalists the representatives of public access television, student newspapers, publications of private consulting firms, or academic journals. This policy exists because of the difficulty in establishing their credentials as professional journalists.
"The press also enjoys privileged access, which raises potential security risks and requires careful vetting of accreditation requests. Our accreditation policy is a standard arrangement for events that attract a large number of journalists.
"The IMF and World Bank still accredited more than 2,200 journalists for the April meetings, which is roughly four times the usual level of accreditation requests we receive. Of the total accredited, 1,636 journalists from more than 30 countries actually turned out, which is about three times the typical number. We obviously are seeking to accredit as many professional journalists as possible, and to promote the broadest possible coverage for our 182 member nations.
"All press conferences are also transcribed immediately, and the transcripts are posted on our Internet site (www.imf.org) for easy and timely public access. You should regularly visit the site.
"I hope this clarifies our actions. I assure you that the IMF and World Bank have every reason to want informed public debate."
FAIR Responds:
This explanation of the IMF's press policy leaves out a key category of exclusion. Some of the journalists who were refused accreditation in April received a message from the IMF Press Office (Mr. Murray's own department) stating that the institution does not accredit "public access TV, community radio, nor student or academic publications."
The crucial category here, which Mr. Murray fails to address, is community radio-- the major source of daily news that does not have a corporate filter. It is particularly indefensible for the IMF to deny access to community radio given that radio is the primary source of news in many of the developing countries that IMF/World Bank policy impacts most directly.
While the IMF phrases its exclusionary policy in terms of convenience and security, it has the additional effect of marginalizing those outlets that are most likely to view the IMF's proceedings with a critical eye. Expecting the public to visit the IMF's website regularly is hardly an adequate substitute for critical, independent reporting.
The IMF's email address is publicaffairs@imf.org.
Clarification:
FAIR's June 22 Action Alert, "Nader Left Out of Media Websites," incorrectly referred to the New York Times' "Political Navigator" page as the New York Times/ABC News "Political Points" site. The confusion arose in part because the "Navigator" page is accessed through a link labeled "Political Points" on the New York Times index page.
At the time of our original alert, the Times' "Political Navigator" page did not list Nader; it now does, as our June 30 Activism Update noted. The New York Times/ABC News "Political Points" page added Nader to its list of candidates before our alert.