Press Gallery changing the rules

The Platform has applied for their producer, Ben Espiner, to be an accredited member of the Press Gallery. The Gallery recently changed their rules as seen below:

This is an interesting new criteria. First of all you can't join the BSA. You are either covered or not covered by it. The Platform is not as they do not transmit to people who use a “broadcasting receiving apparatus” – they are solely available through the Internet.

So for non-broadcasters, the criteria now is you must be a member of the Media Council to become a member of the press gallery. is a member of the Media Council so this should mean any application from me will be approved!

But have a look at the current members of the press gallery. As far as can tell none of these organisations are covered by the BSA or the Media Council, so I presume they all lose accreditation:

  • AFP
  • AP
  • AAP
  • Bloomberg
  • The Guardian
  • Interest.co.nz
  • Listener
  • NZ Newswire
  • Reuters
  • Synapsis
  • Xinhua

If this new rule wasn't just designed to keep The Platform out, then it should be applied to existing members. They say it only applies to domestic media, but why? Are they saying that if The Platform was owned by an Australian, it would qualify?

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