Televisions in common areas at bases around the world will no longer show news channels “due to their divisive political nature,” Stars and Stripes reported Wednesday.
The Dallas-based Army and Air Force Exchange Service sent a memo about the policy change for TVs that often show a loop of news channels including Fox, CNN and MSNBC, the news outlet reported.
“The Exchange has elected to play sports channels/sports programming on all common area TVs” when its own informational service known as EXTV isn’t being shown, the memo said, Stars and Stripes reported.
“As a federal entity, we remain neutral on political issues. News channels should not be shown on common area TVs due to their divisive political nature,” it added.
The reaction from soldiers was mixed.
“One hundred percent agree,” Pfc. Tyler White, 22, stationed at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, South Korea, told the news outlet.
“I don’t really want to see people bash our president,” he said. “For one, I don’t want to watch what I don’t agree with, let alone play it on a military base. I just think politics should stay out of the work environment.”
Staff Sgt. Manuel Cardona, 34 who is based on Camp Humphreys in South Korea, disagreed.
"I think it’s informative. I don’t have a TV,” he told Stars and Stripes. “I think we’re getting too … sensitive about these things.”
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