CMA Awards apologizes, says reporters won’t be kicked out for asking questions about guns

In Nashville, country singers have long been advised to keep their political opinions to themselves. But a controversy erupted Thursday over whether journalists can at least be allowed to inquire about them. After the Las Vegas massacre last month, when a gunman shot and killed 58 people and injured hundreds more at a country music festival, the genre became linked with the contentious issue of gun control. Most country artists have stayed quiet on the topic. However, next week, the industry’s biggest stars will attend the Country Music Association Awards (the genre’s most prominent televised event) and walk the red carpet and talk to press. So on Thursday, CMA organizers took preventive measures and advised reporters to stay away from sensitive topics, or they could be removed by security. “In light of recent events, and out of respect for the artists directly or indirectly involved, please refrain from focusing your coverage of the CMA Awards Red Carpet and Backstage Media Center on the Las Vegas tragedy, gun rights, political affiliations or topics of the like,” the organization said in its media guidelines, first published by Nashville Scene. “It’s vital, more so this year than in year’s [sic] past due to the sensitivities at hand, that the CMA Awards be a celebration of Country Music and the artists that make this genre so great. . . . We want everyone to feel comfortable talking to press about this exciting time.” The memo added, “If you are reported as straying from these guidelines, your credential will be reviewed and potentially revoked via security escort.”The rules immediately made the rounds on social media. On Friday morning, CMAs co-host Brad Paisley expressed his disappointment in the new policy:Shortly after Paisley’s tweet, the CMAs released a statement apologizing for the rules and retracted its policy...more