As Americans across the nation witnessed the GOP’s brutal infighting during the recent election for speaker of the House of Representatives, one crucial press freedom issue became clear: We must grant C-SPAN full-time control of the cameras in the House.
Right now, leadership in the House holds the reins on the cameras that film proceedings on the floor — but C-SPAN brought their own cameras to the House speaker battle.
This independent coverage gave viewers and journalists a glimpse of the dealmaking that House leadership would rather keep behind the curtains — helping outlets from the Washington Post to The Intercept dig into the real machinery of congressional power. It must be allowed to continue.
Granting control of TV cameras on the House floor to independent journalists instead of House leadership would protect the First Amendment rights of reporters and the public. It would help establish a stronger and more informed democracy and build public trust in journalism.
Congressional proceedings are a matter of public record. The American people have a right to know what’s happening on the floor of Congress — and C-SPAN has shown they can protect that right when Congress won’t.
Granting C-SPAN control of the cameras will help ensure that coverage of House proceedings is impartial, fair, and factual, promoting transparency and accountability in government.
This would give the public a more comprehensive understanding of the legislative process and the ability to hold their representatives accountable. And with the GOP elite cutting deals to keep big-business conservatives and MAGA Republicans together, the stakes for understanding what’s really happening in Congress have never been higher.
Democracy thrives on transparency. We can’t trust a House majority that includes January 6 insurrectionists to operate behind closed doors. It’s crucial that the House takes this step to ensure that journalists and the public have the information they need to hold Congress accountable.
It's high time for the U.S Congress to grant C-SPAN control of the cameras in the House and promote transparency and independent coverage.
