Paula Duffy reports that there media covering the Miami Heat will have to provide a lot of personal info:
… The Miami New Times blog reported the information that needed to be disclosed and the procedures put in place for media organizations and journalists alike. The Heat press release contained this: “Each affiliate must fill out one credential form for all of those attending Training Camp, and each individual listed on that form, must fill out a security check form. All information must be complete. Incomplete forms will not be processed.”
The individual media members must provide their social security numbers, drivers license numbers, date of birth, birth place and other names they might have been known by. It’s clearly a background check and smells of Homeland Security, except the homeland at risk, according to Riley is the starting five of the Miami Heat.
Read more on The Examiner.
I can’t find a copy of the press release referred to in the story so this is based solely on the reporting above, but I’d like to know exactly what steps the Miami Heat will take to protect the security and privacy of the media’s personally identifiable information. I can’t imagine reporters even being asked to provide such information. If they’re mainstream media and their employer vouches for them, that should be good enough for the team. I’ve sent an inquiry to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to get their take on this.