The Pentagon press office caused something of a kerfuffle last Friday when they announced the previously sacrosanct onsite work areas assigned to a few privileged outlets would be subject to an annual rotation. Under the new plan, the New York Times (print), NBC (television), National Public Radio (NPR), and Politico (online) would lose their respective slots to the New York Post, OANN, Breitbart News Network, and the Huffington Post.

Needless to say, the people being rotated out of that plum real estate were not happy; see Gotta Love It: Pentagon Changes to Media Offices Cause Meltdowns on the Left – RedState. Images of a media purge were called up by the hardcore left without explaining how the change of outlets with in-the-Pentagon workspaces changed their coverage.

After hearing the complaints for a week, the Pentagon has responded to that criticism.

A letter from John Ullyot, the acting assistant to the Secretary of Defense, dismissed complaints of being singled out ("Notwithstanding that most media outlets covering the Pentagon have no office space in the building."); and of television outlets being disadvantaged ("Notwithstanding that most television outlets covering the Pentagon have no office space either, and routinely bring their heavy equipment in and out of the building without problems."); and asking for an extension of the start date of the media rotation.

He doubled the number of rotations. The Washington Post (print), CNN (television), The Hill (online), and The War Zone (online) will all lose their spaces and be replaced by The Washington Examiner (print), Newsmax (television), The Free Press (online), and The Daily Caller (online).

CNN and NBC did get a promise of "shared secure storage in the Pentagon where they can leave their tripods and other large equipment."

The Pentagon Press Association was devastated.

The association said in a statement Friday that it was “shocked and deeply disappointed” by the decision.

“Instead of reconsidering its approach after good faith outreach this week from more than 20 news organizations, the Defense Department appears to be doubling down on an unreasonable policy toward news outlets that have covered the U.S. military for decades,” the association said.

After the scandal of numerous press organizations receiving millions of dollars in federal baksheesh in return for favorable coverage of the Biden administration (The Media Is Lying to You About Their Government Funding), there is a new administration in town that seems like it is genuinely interested in fair dealing and transparency. Our media don't seem either willing or able to grasp that fact.