The Pentagon has fired two journalists at Stars and Stripes after they publicly defended the military newspaper’s editorial independence. Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte were both given separation notices on Friday, with the Pentagon citing “insubordination” as the reason. Publisher Max Lederer was also dismissed, days after announcing that he planned to retire.The move has put a fresh spotlight on the long-running tension between the Pentagon and Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper that receives government funding but has traditionally operated independently from the military chain of command.So, who are Slavin and Korte, and what exactly did they say?
Who is Erik Slavin?
Erik Slavin was the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, a position he held for nearly a year. He has spent 21 years working as a journalist at the publication, which serves US service members and their families around the world.Slavin’s dismissal followed an interview he gave to CBS for a report about the future of Stars and Stripes. During the interview, he was asked whether there were any situations in which he would refuse to follow an editorial instruction.His answer centred on censorship.Slavin said that being told not to publish an accurate story and instead run a version “written by the Pentagon” would cross a line for him. He later said the Pentagon cited that CBS interview when notifying him of his dismissal.“I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies,” Slavin said.After the news broke, Slavin also reflected on his time at the publication, saying it had been an honour to work there and provide independent reporting to service members and their families.The firing comes after months of tension between Stars and Stripes and Pentagon leadership over the newspaper’s direction and editorial role.
Who is Lara Korte?
Lara Korte is a journalist who covered the Middle East for Stars and Stripes. She was also featured in the CBS interview and was fired on Friday along with Slavin and Lederer.Korte said the Defense Department told her she was being dismissed for insubordination after she explained during the interview who she worked for.“I’m working for Stars and Stripes. Not for the Pentagon, not for any administration, not for any policymaker. I’m here to cover the military community,” Korte said in the CBS report.After learning of her dismissal, Korte said she was proud of the work she and her colleagues had done, particularly their reporting on the experiences of military personnel and their families.She also called the firings “a shame for the institution and service members”, arguing that members of the military deserve access to an independent press.
Why were they fired?
The Pentagon’s stated reason was insubordination. But the timing and circumstances have raised questions about the future of Stars and Stripes and how much editorial freedom the publication will have going forward.Slavin and Korte have both linked their dismissals to the CBS interview, where they pushed back against the idea of Pentagon control over the newspaper’s reporting.The newspaper’s publisher, Max Lederer, was also dismissed. He had announced earlier in the week that he would retire at the end of September, saying his understanding of the publication’s mission differed fundamentally from the direction Pentagon leadership wanted for it.The dismissals have already drawn criticism from press freedom groups. Mark Schoeff Jr., president of the National Press Club, called Slavin’s firing “deeply troubling” and said the decision should be reversed.For now, the controversy is bigger than the three journalists who lost their jobs. It has revived a much broader question about where the line lies between government funding and editorial control – and whether Stars and Stripes can continue doing its job independently while being partly funded by the Pentagon.
