WASHINGTON—Several journalism organizations and media unions announced a town hall about the rise of authoritarianism and the need to defend a free press set for 7 p.m. ET Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Journalists will share their stories in the virtual event sponsored by The National Writers Union, NABET-CWA, Writers Guild of America East, The NewsGuild-CWA, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Freedom of the Press Foundation, the National Association of Black Journalists.
Since the beginning of 2025, journalists have been targeted by the government for their reporting, press access to the White House is increasingly restricted and the President is going after news outlets that do not report favorably on the administration.
The national town hall is an opportunity for journalists, readers and members of the public to come together in defense of press freedom—a conversation at a moment of crisis.
“Democracy is only possible when journalists are allowed to freely and independently cover the administration and that’s now under threat,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “Every American needs to stand up and support journalists at the local, state and national level to make sure we continue to have a robust free press that can hold power to account.”