The Future of Field Press Censorship: Is There One
Abstract
Field Press Censorship (FPC) was an integral feature of all major U. S. conflicts until the Vietnam War. Today, there are no units in the force structure to perform the FPC mission and, with revision of DOD Directive 5230.7 in January 1987, no authority for the Armed Forces to impose FPC in the event of war. This study addresses the viability of FPC in the 21st century and attempts to develop a practical approach to protecting vital military information in future wars. In doing so, it addresses FPC in the context of past U.S. conflicts, the impact of U.S. societal concerns, to include First Amendment rights, and communications technology advances on the concept of FPC in possible future wartime scenarios. Information upon which this study is based was obtained from a review and analysis of literature on the subject and from interviews with key Department of Defense public affairs officials, print and broadcast journalists, and news media executives. These investigative efforts support the need for a program to protect vital military information from disclosure in wartime. The evidence, however, does not support the proposition that FPC is the viable means to accomplish that mission. The study concludes by offering a recommendation on how the military should deal with battlefield news reporting in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 20, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA207398
Entities
People
- Patricia A. Grossman
Organizations
- United States Army War College