Harrison McClary/Reuters
The Country Music Association announced Friday that it will lift controversial restrictions on reporters at next week’s awards show. The organization had previously asked reporters to avoid asking questions about politics, gun control, or the recent Las Vegas mass shooting—or risk being removed by security. “CMA apologizes for the recently distributed restrictions in the CMA Awards media guidelines, which have since been lifted,” the organization said in a statement. “The sentiment was not to infringe and was created with the best of intentions to honor and celebrate Country Music.” The organization initially said the restrictions were “out of respect for the artists directly or indirectly involved” and that they wanted everyone “to feel comfortable talking to press.” Several country music artists, including this year’s co-host Brad Paisley, publicly criticized the restrictions.