DURHAM, NC (August 2, 2007) - Photojournalists and other concerned parties have until Friday to voice their public comments and complaints about the New York Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting's proposed rule changes, and the National Press Photographers Association has sent New York City officials a letter objecting to the city's proposed film and photography permit requirements.
A letter from NPPA president Tony Overman to the MOTFB's assistant commissioner, Julianne Cho, acknowledges that the city has the right to place certain restrictions to ensure public safety (as it relates to large film productions), but that NPPA feels this new policy "goes far beyond that, and puts the average photographer at risk."
Overman also wrote that the permit plan goes against the public interest, in that journalists almost always cannot plan their news coverage in advance, and that the proposed time restrictions of 30 minutes on location makes it impossible for photojournalists to cover and explain events that take longer than a half hour.
"We understand that the proposed policy contains an exception for journalists who have a press pass from the New York City Police Department," Overman wrote, "but it is not the role of the NYPD to determine who is a journalist. Even if it were appropriate, this would not help photojournalists without a valid NYPD press pass who cover news, features, entertainment, politics and sports."
"We are offended at the notion that a city agency or police officer would have the power to keep a photographer from taking a picture or video on a public street. This permit rule change creates that very real possibility. City property belongs to the citizens and the city has no right to limit safe, constitutionally protected behavior in a public venue."
A description of the proposed rules is online here.
Photographers who wish to submit comments on the proposed rules may do so by writing to jcho@film.nyc.gov. NPPA's Advocacy Committee suggests helpful messages might be ones that explain how the proposed rules would negatively affect a photojournalist's ability to do their job.
Photojournalists can also sign an online petition opposing the rules here, and an automatic letter generator opposing the rules is here.
