NYC to Revamp Press Credentials After Trial 'Fangirl' Controversy

New York City hands out press credentials, and suddenly courthouse steps turn into a costume party. In the Luigi Mangione trial, supporters of the accused killer reportedly snagged credentials and then used the access to cheerlead outside the courtroom. That is not reporting. That is stage-managing.

The City Council’s answer is to “revamp” the system so it’s easier to suspend or revoke credentials. Fine. If you’re wearing the badge, you’re not there to campaign. But New York needs to be careful about who gets to decide what counts as journalism and what counts as advocacy, because that line gets blurry fast when the wrong people are in charge. We have all watched city officials treat certain protests like a civic hobby and treat other speech like a public threat.

There’s an obvious fix that doesn’t require turning City Hall into the newsroom police. Tighten the basics. Verify real outlets, real assignments, real history of coverage. Require applicants to disclose affiliations and funding. Put time limits on credentials and make renewals routine. And set clear conduct rules at courthouses that apply to everyone, press included. Access is not a permission slip to perform.

Here’s the part New York can’t dodge: the “fangirl” mess happened because the system was loose enough to game. That’s on the city. Clean it up, yes, but do it in a way that doesn’t become a convenient switch to flip when officials don’t like the coverage. Fix the loopholes, don’t build a muzzle..