Press Freedom

Journalists Continue – in Spite of. . .

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Article in Poynter by Sydney McGarr, 4/11/26

Headline:  “Journalism students know the industry is struggling. They’re choosing to enter it anyway”

Subhead:  “Student reporters from across the country say they’re worried about layoffs, AI and shrinking newsrooms but still feel called to the work”

“The outlook for aspiring journalists is increasingly uncertain.

“Layoffs ripple through major U.S. newsrooms, local papers shutter at an alarming rate, politicians sharpen their attacks on the press and AI technology threatens to make journalists obsolete.

“Yet, 10,073 students graduated with journalism degrees in the U.S. in 2025, according to a report by Data USA, an open-source platform for visualizing U.S. government data. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/educators-students/2026/why-students-are-choosing-journalism/

More Media Not Giving-In

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Article in The Hill by Dominck Mastrangelo 5/8/26

Headline:  “ABC accuses FCC of violating its free speech”

“ABC is accusing President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of violating its First Amendment rights as FCC Chair Brendan Carr ramps up scrutiny of the Disney-owned outlet over the content it broadcasts. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5869900-abc-fcc-the-view-jimmy-kimmel-disney/

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Article in Free Press by Staff, 5/8/26

Headline:  “ABC Learns from Past Mistakes, Takes Stronger Stance Against Carr and Trump’s Censorship Campaign”

“In a filing made public on Friday, ABC accused Federal Communications Commission regulators of violating its free-speech rights and called out FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for attempting to punish the broadcaster for airing political content that displeased the Trump White House. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/abc-learns-past-mistakes-takes-stronger-stance-against-carr-and-trumps-censorship-campaign

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Article in Daily Kos by Oliver Willis, 5/8/26

Headline:  “ABC says F U to FCC”

“ABC isn’t rolling over after the Federal Communications Commission demanded the network to upend decades of precedent and hand out airtime to the right. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/5/8/800035851/media/abc-fights-trumps-fcc-demands/

Good, Real-News

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Photo courtesy of CJR Reed Brody

Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Susie Banikarim, 5/8/26

Headline:  “Amy Goodman’s Good Example”

Subhead:  “A documentary that resonates, why the press needs to pay more attention to Truth Social madness, and an impressive investigation from the Post and Courier.”

“. . .Goodman, now the host of Democracy Now!, is the star of Steal This Story, Please! But it is more broadly a film about independent journalism and why it matters, now maybe more than ever. Goodman turns out to be an ideal guide: relentless, fearless, and a natural storyteller with a matter-of-fact clarity of purpose and no apparent interest in self-aggrandizement or martyrdom. . .”

Read the full story at:

https://www.cjr.org/laurels-and-darts/amy-goodmans-good-example-documentary-truth-social-post-courier-investigation.php

Cutting the Real News?

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Article in Daily Kos by Oliver Willis, 4/6/26

Headline:  “Veteran journalist ‘concerned’ CNN will be next MAGA victim”

“Veteran journalist and CNN mainstay Christiane Amanpour is concerned that, if Republican donor David Ellison is successful in his attempt to take over CNN parent company Warner Discovery, the network could face a devastating pro-MAGA makeover. . .”

“During a panel of the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit in London on Monday, Amanpour expressed her outrage. . .”

“Clearly I’m concerned,” she said after being asked about recent comments from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that he’s looking forward to an Ellison makeover. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/5/6/800034348/media/journalist-concerned-cnn-next-maga-victim/

Amy, Media, and Truth

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Article in Democracy Now by Staff, 5/7/26

Headline:  “This Week with Jon Stewart: Media For Truth, Not Profit with Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman”

“Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of ‘Democracy Now!’ and subject of the new documentary ‘STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE!’ joins Jon Stewart on This Week with Jon Stewart to examine which stories get told and why, discuss the bargain the media makes in trading truth for access, and explore the power ordinary people still possess to organize and fight back. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/5/7/this_week_with_jon_stewart_media

Another Empty Suit in Court?

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Article in The Intercept by Bryce Covert, 5/6/26

Headline:  “Lawyer on EEOC’s New York Times Lawsuit Has History Battling Discrimination Against Men”

Subhead:  “A former EEOC commissioner said, “They’re putting out their best facts in this complaint, and the facts are pathetic.”

“The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a key achievement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the federal agency tasked with protecting American workers from employment discrimination, sued the New York Times on behalf of a white man claiming the company discriminated against him based on his race and sex. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://theintercept.com/2026/05/06/eeoc-nyt-lawsuit-discrimination-men/

No Alcohol-Reporting Allowed?

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Jem Bartholomew, 5/7/26

Headline:  “With Malice”

Subhead:  “Kash Patel’s FBI is going after reporters and news organizations for routine newsgathering practices.”

“. . .’Maria [Fox News], I’m happy to announce on your show that we’re not gonna take this laying down,’ Patel told Bartiromo. ‘You wanna attack my character? Come at me? Bring it on, I’ll see you in court.’ The next day, Patel’s lawyers filed a defamation lawsuit, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking damages from The Atlantic, as well as naming Fitzpatrick in the suit. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/with-malice-kash-patel-fbi-routine-newsgathering-target-practice-atlantic.php

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Article in The Atlantic by David Graham, 5/6/26

Headline: “A Dangerous New Attack on Press Freedom”

Subhead:  “According to MS NOW, the FBI has launched an investigation into an Atlantic reporter.”

“The Trump administration’s war against freedom of the press has reached a startling new low.

According to a report this morning from MS NOW, the FBI has opened a criminal investigation focusing on my Atlantic colleague Sarah Fitzpatrick, related to an article she published last month about Director Kash Patel. Drawing on some two dozen sources, Fitzpatrick reported that people inside the administration and the bureau are deeply concerned about what they described as Patel’s unexplained absences and excessive drinking. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/kash-patel-fitzpatrick-fbi-investigation/687077/

Let Corporate Media Decide

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Jem Bartholomew, 5/4/26

Headline:   “Corporate Meddling and Editorial Fear”

Subhead:  “The Ellisons are closing in on CNN.“

“. . .On Thursday, Alfonsi, of 60 Minutes, spoke publicly for the first time about the delay in airing her CECOT story. It was the result of ‘an aggressive contagion: the spread of corporate meddling and editorial fear,’ she said, while receiving an award from the National Press Club in Washington. ‘Right now, our industry is afraid of the wrong things. We’re afraid of offending power. We’re afraid of losing access. We’re afraid of another baseless lawsuit.’ ”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/corporate-meddling-editorial-fear-ellison-warner-bros-discovery-paramount-skydance-takeover-fcc-trump-carr.php

Media Court Failure Again

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Article in Media Matters by Staff, 5/4/26

Headline: “Media Matters secures complete and total victory against Federal Trade Commission”

Subhead: “FTC agrees to forgo future investigations of MMFA to secure withdrawal ahead of judgment”

“Media Matters has secured a complete and total victory in its case against the Federal Trade Commission (Media Matters v. FTC).

“In an effort to avoid another damaging decision from a federal court of appeals, the FTC sought to withdraw its appeal of the preliminary injunction awarded to Media Matters to halt the FTC’s retaliatory actions. Media Matters made clear that it would oppose that gamesmanship. Facing the prospect of a loss from what’s often considered the nation’s second highest court, the FTC ultimately submitted to a legally binding settlement agreement with Media Matters

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/angelo-carusone/media-matters-secures-complete-and-total-victory-against-federal-trade-commission

Press Confidence Low

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Article in Poynter by Angela Fu, 5/1/26

Headline:  “Opinion | U.S. falls to its lowest ever World Press Freedom Index ranking”

Subhead:  “The declines in press freedom in the U.S. are part of a broader global trend, Reporters Without Borders found.”

“Last weekend, the White House Correspondents Association dinner — already a topic of awkward conversations because of various ethical concerns — was scrapped because a gunman tried to enter the event.

“Then on Monday, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania both called for ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired because they didn’t like a joke he told. And now the Federal Communications Commission, seemingly spurred on by the Trumps’ social media complaints, is reviewing ABC’s licenses.

“Thursday produced even more depressing news about press freedoms in the U.S. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/us-lowest-press-freedome-ranking-ever/