Press Freedom | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

Newsletter: Journalists under attack

The last few weeks have been marred by serious attacks on democracy, press freedom and journalists at home and abroad.

We’re outraged by the Belarusian government’s use of a military aircraft to ground a civilian plane and arrest a journalist who was a passenger on the flight and by the Israeli government’s intentional bombing of offices housing the Associated Press and Al Jazeera. We’re also deeply disturbed by the arrest of an American journalist in Myanmar and the ongoing crackdown on the press there since a February coup. These brazen incidents reflect a troubling slide toward authoritarianism around the world.

NewsGuild denounces Belarus government’s grounding of civilian plane, arrest of journalist

The NewsGuild-CWA condemns in the strongest possible terms the Belarus government’s grounding of a civilian plane and the arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich, who was a passenger on the flight.

We call for Pratasevich’s immediate release and the release of Sofia Sapega, who was traveling with him.

NewsGuild statement on Israeli government bombing of media organizations’ offices

The NewsGuild-CWA condemns the Israeli government’s attack on media organizations in Gaza in the strongest possible terms. The intentional bombing of offices housing the Associated Press and Al Jazeera was a blatant attack on press freedom that was clearly intended to prevent independent reporting on the government’s actions. It violates international law.

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Today is World Press Freedom Day, and this year’s theme, “Information as a Public Good,” couldn’t be more appropriate. It reflects the severity of the crisis facing journalism and the need to reshape our industry. We cannot let hedge funds and profit-hungry chains run journalism into the ground. News and information are essential to empowering the people to participate in civic life.

Police targeting journalists threatens our democracy

The NewsGuild-CWA strongly condemns attacks by police on journalists covering protests over the weekend in Brooklyn Center, Minn.

NewsGuild-CWA denounces DHS restrictions on foreign press visas

Oct. 27, 2020 – The NewsGuild-CWA, representing nearly 24,000 media professionals and journalists, stands with our colleagues at news organizations and journalism advocacy groups across the world in opposition to the proposal by the United States’ Department of Homeland Security to limit the duration of “I Visas” to 240 days. Continue reading “NewsGuild-CWA denounces DHS restrictions on foreign press visas”

Press freedom advocates win two battles – battles they shouldn’t have had to fight

Sept. 25, 2020 – Press freedom advocates won two victories this week in battles they shouldn’t have had to fight. Continue reading “Press freedom advocates win two battles – battles they shouldn’t have had to fight”

NewsGuild joins call: Drop charges against KPCC reporter

Updated Sept. 18, 2020 to include the sheriff’s response.

Sept. 17, 2020 – The NewsGuild-CWA joined more than 60 press freedom and journalism organizations Wednesday calling on Los Angeles law enforcement officers to drop charges against reporter Josie Huang, who was violently arrested and charged with obstruction while reporting on Sept. 12. Continue reading “NewsGuild joins call: Drop charges against KPCC reporter”

‘No place in our democracy.’ NewsGuild condemns arrests, assaults on journalists.

June 1, 2020 – More than 100 journalists were arrested and assaulted by law enforcement over the weekend while covering unrest across the country, according to the Harvard’s Nieman Lab. Among them were a Los Angeles Times reporter who was tear gassed at point-blank range, a freelance reporter who was permanently blinded in her left eye after being struck with rubber bullets, and a photojournalist for WCCO TV, who was struck with a rubber bullet and taken into custody by Minnesota State Patrol. And millions watched CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew get arrested on live television.

“I was disturbed to see blatant attacks on our press freedom over the weekend. From Fox News to MSNBC, from Minneapolis to Louisville, journalists were among those singled out for simply doing their job — covering protests following the death of George Floyd. Attacks against members of the press, violence against Black communities and brutality against peaceful protesters have no place in our democracy,” said NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss.

Continue reading “‘No place in our democracy.’ NewsGuild condemns arrests, assaults on journalists.”

NewsGuild joins groups denouncing restrictions on journalists covering impeachment

Jan. 17, 2020 – The NewsGuild-CWA has joined the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 56 other media organizations in denouncing restrictions on the press during the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Continue reading “NewsGuild joins groups denouncing restrictions on journalists covering impeachment”