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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Still no sign of missing girl Mining company faces long odds in Smith River proposal Public Meetings: Feb. 2-6 Super cheerleader Restaurant Inspections Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Emergency services UPDATED: Body found in Greensprings area is Klamath Falls fugitive Former Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb dies Man who allegedly almost robbed Purple Parrot returns Politics and Elections Amid rising scrutiny, governor says fiancee won't have role in administration Ashland aims for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Education Parent files discrimination complaint against Ashland schools Some gains, some losses Medford reconsiders full-day kindergarten State boosts class time expectation A wealth of experience Environment Commissioners won't object to BLM road closures Mt. 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Renovating The Bricks ... Mining company faces long odds in Smith River proposal ... Forest Service proposes requiring media get permits for filming The U.S. Forest Service has tightened restrictions on media coverage in vast swaths of the country's wild lands, requiring reporters to pay for a permit and get permission before shooting a photo or video in federally designated wilderness areas. Comment By Rob Davis The Oregonian MailTribune.com By Rob Davis The Oregonian Posted Sep. 24, 2014 @ 10:17 am By Rob Davis The Oregonian Posted Sep. 24, 2014 @ 10:17 am » Social News The U.S. Forest Service has tightened restrictions on media coverage in vast swaths of the country's wild lands, requiring reporters to pay for a permit and get permission before shooting a photo or video in federally designated wilderness areas. Under rules being finalized in November, a reporter who met a biologist, wildlife advocate or whistleblower alleging neglect in any of the nation's 100 million acres of wilderness would first need special approval to shoot photos or videos even on an iPhone. Permits cost up to $1,500, says Forest Service spokesman Larry Chambers, and reporters who don't get a permit could face fines up to $1,000. First Amendment advocates say the rules ignore press freedoms and are so vague they'd allow the Forest Service to grant permits only to favored reporters shooting videos for positive stories. "It's pretty clearly unconstitutional," said Gregg Leslie, legal defense director at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Alexandria, Va. "They would have to show an important need to justify these limits, and they just can't." Liz Close, the Forest Service's acting wilderness director, says the restrictions have been in place on a temporary basis for four years and are meant to preserve the untamed character of the country's wilderness. Close didn't cite any real-life examples of why the policy is needed or what problems it's addressing. She didn't know whether any media outlets had applied for permits in the last four years. She said the agency was implementing the Wilderness Act of 1964, which aims to protect wilderness areas from being exploited for commercial gain. "It's not a problem, it's a responsibility," she said. "We have to follow the statutory requirements." The Forest Service's previous rules caused a fuss in 2010, when the agency refused to allow an Idaho Public Television crew into a wilderness area to film student conservation workers. The agency ultimately caved to pressure from Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter. With smartphones blurring the lines between reporters and camera crews, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said the agency should tread more carefully. "The Forest Service needs to rethink any policy that subjects noncommercial photographs and recordings to a burdensome permitting process for something as simple as taking a picture with a cell phone," Wyden said. "Especially where reporters and bloggers are concerned, this policy raises troubling questions about inappropriate government limits on activity clearly protected by the First Amendment." Most of the country's wilderness is in the West. Nearly 50 wilderness areas have been designated in Oregon. The rules allow exceptions only for breaking news coverage of events like fires and rescues. They're more stringent than similar policies on wilderness areas managed by a different federal agency, the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM does not require any special permit for newsgathering in wilderness areas. By contrast, the Forest Service is giving its supervisors discretion to decide whether a news outlet's planned video or photo shoots would meet the Wilderness Act's goals. "If you were engaged on reporting that was in support of wilderness characteristics, that would be permitted," Close said. The First Amendment prohibits the creation of laws that abridge press freedom. Asked whether the Forest Service believes its rule violates the First Amendment, Close replied: "It does not apply to breaking news." Reporters have many more reasons to go into wilderness areas, however, than just to cover fires, rescues or other breaking events. The Forest Service is currently accepting public comment on its proposal online . By Rob Davis The Oregonian MailTribune.com By Rob Davis The Oregonian Posted Sep. 24, 2014 @ 10:17 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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