Last week, Brian Wilson, chairman of the Congressional Radio TV Correspondents Association, asked his 2,600 members to help demand access for camera stakeouts on the Senate side of the Capitol. Roll Call wrote it up this morning. In an e-mail this morning, Wilson asked his members to keep up the pressure.

"Our request for the right to set up a stakeout in the all-important Ohio Clock corridor -- without advance permission of the leadership -- mirrors a long-standing agreement with House leaders governing the Will Rogers stakeout position," he wrote.

Two board members met with Bill Frist's press secretary on Wednesday and left the session "feeling rather pessimistic." On Friday, Harry Reid's staff insisted that his office "had never been made aware" of the request. Trent Lott is definitely aware of it, because he told a reporter that "it's a closed issue."

Wilson is asking supporters to keep up the pressure. "Let them know that you believe the First Amendment is more important than protecting the status quo." Click continued to read the full e-mail update...




Friends and Colleagues --

After we first wrote you about our desire to increase access for TV cameras on Capitol Hill, many of you took the time to write to those on our target list of key hill staffers. We thank you for your support -- it is having the desired effect. If you have not yet written, we will provide the email addresses again at the end of this note.

As we mentioned in the last email, our request for the right to set up a stakeout in the all-important Ohio Clock corridor -- without advance permission of the leadership -- mirrors a long-standing agreement with House leaders governing the Will Rogers stakeout position. It would even the playing field for TV reporters, who need sound and images to tell their stories. If approved, we would have almost the same level of access now enjoyed by print, radio and our friends the still photographers. It is important to note that the other media galleries are on record in support of our modest request.

On Friday, The Wall Street Journal made mention of our campaign in its Washington Wire column. There was also extensive coverage of this matter on the widely-read TVNewser.com (to read; cut and paste the following address in your web browser.)

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/politics/television_journalists_request_more_access_to_capitol_hill_corridors_36468.asp#more

By now, many of you have seen the detailed article in Roll Call. This article was also discussed before a nationwide audience on CSPAN.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/51_118/vested/13198-1.html

This is only the start of our campaign for TV Equity NOW!

New Developments:

Board members Ted Barrett of CNN and Linda Kenyon of SRN met with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's Press secretary, Amy Call, on Wednesday. While the overall tone of the meeting was polite, both Ted and Linda left the session feeling rather pessimistic. Apparently, one of Call's greatest concerns was that her boss would have to walk by the camera positions several times a day on his way to the Senate floor. We pointed out that Speaker of the House, Denny Hastert walks past our House-side camera position several times a day and there has never been a problem.

Late Friday afternoon, there was a flurry of phone calls and e-mails from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's staff insisting his office had never been made aware of our Ohio clock corridor request. This is surprising to us and at variance with what we had been told by two of the key players involved in our first round of negotiations, but we accept the representations of Senator Reid's staff at face value.

Though Reid's staff says the senator is not yet ready to agree to our request, he is keeping an open mind about the matter. We find this encouraging. We hope this professed open mindedness is a sign that Senator Reid will ultimately come down on the side of the First Amendment.

Meanwhile Senator Trent Lott, chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, when asked by a print reporter about our request, responded, “It’s a closed issue.” We hope the Senator can yet be persuaded that our proposal would do little to interrupt Senate decorum. In fact, in our internal discussions, all 7 members of the RTCA Executive Committee have expressed the desire to increase camera access without creating chaos. We stand ready to discuss any workable compromise.

What can you do?

Take a moment now to write to the following people. Let them know that you believe the First Amendment is more important than protecting the status quo.

Eric_Euland@frist.senate.gov; Amy_Call@frist.senate.gov; Susan_McCue@reid.senate.gov; Jim_Manley@reid.senate.gov; Susan_Wells@rules.senate.gov; Bill_Pickle@saa.senate.gov

On behalf of RTCA Executive Committee members: Ted Barrett/ CNN, Steve Chaggaris/ CBS News, Heather Dahl/ Capitol News Connection, Linda Kenyon/ SRN, Brian Naylor/ NPR, and Annie Tin/ CSPAN – Thanks in advance for your support

Brian Wilson/ Fox News, RTCA Chairman