The Temecula City Council has backed away from a controversial proposal to single out one news organization–the Press Enterprise–for restricted access to city officials.
Unhappy with the Press Enterprise’s news coverage, two council members had asked the full council to approve a policy requiring that inquiries from the newspaper be put in writing to council members and administrators, who would respond only in writing. Other news media would remain free, under the proposal, to report by speaking directly to government sources.
But at a meeting on Tuesday, the Temecula City Council voted instead to make good faith efforts to improve communications between the Press-Enterprise and city officials.