Study finds that 21 percent of journalists have been denied media credentials

More than 21 percent of journalists who have applied for media credentials to federal, state, local and private organizations from 2008 to 2013 were denied passes, according to a study by Harvard University released by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy.

The study, which is thought to be the first of its kind, found that "freelance journalists were significantly less likely to receive media credentials than employed journalists; photographers were more likely to be denied than non-photographers; and respondents who identified themselves as activists were more likely to be denied than those who did not," the Digital Media Law Project writes.

Participants were asked if they have been denied credentials to cover the White House, Congress, federal agencies, federal courts, federal law enforcement, U.S. military branches, governor's offices or state executive branches, state legislatures, state agencies or departments, state courts, state law enforcement, public universities, municipal government, county or municipal law enforcement, fire department or other emergency services, private venues such as conventions and political parties.

Of the 676 respondents who said they applied to one of 17 organizations, 145 said they were denied at least one request, the report found. Private venues were most likely to deny applicants' requests for credentials, with 62 of 325 respondents, or 17 percent, saying their requests were denied. The next most likely was municipal government, 13 percent, followed by state agencies, 12 percent, fire departments or emergency services, 10 percent and county or municipal law enforcement, 10 percent.

Federal agencies were less likely to deny requests, the report found. Only four percent of journalists were denied requests to cover federal courts (three of 68 requests denied) and military branches (four of 92 denied). Only two of 39, or 5 percent, of requests for federal law enforcement were denied. And only 7 percent of credential requests were denied for the White House (18 of 251 denied) and Congress (11 of 156 denied). To read the full report, click here.