Media Policy Under Review at NASA

NASA chief vows openness at agency, Orlando Sentinel

“After Thursday’s hearing, Griffin told reporters that NASA was soliciting feedback from throughout the agency to find people who “have a gripe.” At the same time, a team of scientists and public-affairs officers is reviewing current policies.” … “It will be done in a few weeks,” Griffin said. “Half of our issue has been that people are butting heads who should be working as different parts of an overall team.”

NASA to Draft New Rules for Media Office, Washington Post

“Griffin told reporters after yesterday’s hearing that he has made it a policy that “technical people within NASA are not only allowed to speak their minds . . . we beg them to speak their minds.” He cautioned, however, that the review of public information guidelines is not only about ensuring openness, but also seeks to establish “crisp” criteria for deciding when research is newsworthy. The review is, in part, about “adult supervision over which paper merits a news release,” Griffin said. “And this is management 101, not politics.”

House Panel Prods NASA for Improvement on Openness, NY Times

“The administrator has it exactly right,” Dr. Hansen said. “We live in a free country and work for the taxpayer. We should provide useful information, not propaganda. But based on their recent remarks, public affairs still doesn’t get it.”