A guide to press freedom op-eds

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Dear friend of press freedom,

Here are some of the most important stories we’re following from the U.S. and around the world. If you enjoy reading this newsletter, please forward it to friends and family. If someone has forwarded you this newsletter, please subscribe here ([link removed]) .

The outrageous raid of the Marion County Record got plenty of coverage. But it's far from the only noteworthy recent attack on the press. Kansas Reflector/Sherman Smith. Used with permission. Original image available at [link removed]


** Press freedom violations you may have missed
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We wrote extensively last week about the Aug. 11 police raid ([link removed]) in Marion, Kansas, that rightfully shocked the nation. It was a uniquely egregious assault on the press, and it might have actually killed someone ([link removed]) .

Unfortunately, while all eyes were on Kansas, other press freedom violations continued around the country. This week, we round up ten other ongoing violations of journalists’ rights ([link removed]) that, unlike Marion, are not getting the coverage they deserve.

The violations include an FBI raid ([link removed]) on an independent journalist’s home in Tampa, Florida; a judge’s seizure of a North Carolina journalist’s notes and order barring ([link removed]) her from reporting; and a SLAPP that’s threatening to put a Wisconsin nonprofit news outlet out of business ([link removed]) . You can read more about these instances and the other seven we highlighted on our blog ([link removed]) .

We need journalists and others to call attention to these abuses of journalists and the press. Marion shows that the public wants to know when press freedom — and their right to know — is infringed. Ultimately, the authorities therebacked down ([link removed]) after a loud and sustained public outcry. Journalists elsewhere around the country need the media and the public to come to their defense as well. Freedom of the press depends on it.

Time for you to have a say on press freedom

After you read about these and other press freedom violations, you may be inspired to add your voice to those calling for the protection of journalism and press freedom. There are many ways to do this, whether reaching out to officials, posting on social media or making donations to a news outlet ([link removed]) or your favorite press freedom organization ([link removed]) . For people who are able to spend more time and have more to say, we often recommend writing op-eds or letters to the editor.

Our new guide to press freedom op-eds ([link removed]) shares concrete advice for people writing op-eds and letters to the editor in support of press freedom. The guide covers what your op-ed can accomplish; how to get papers interested; where, how, and when to pitch your op-ed; and guidelines for writing. Armed with this guide, you can provide the crucial public support that press freedom and journalists need.

Victims’ rights law shouldn’t shield police from scrutiny

On our blog this week ([link removed]) , we explore the troubling trend of police avoiding accountability by using “Marsy’s Law,” which allows crime victims to withhold their names from the public. Police around the country ([link removed]) are arguing that Marsy’s Laws should shield the names of officers ([link removed]) who claim to have been assaulted or otherwise victimized by people they ultimately arrested, shot, or worse.

The latest examples are from Wisconsin and Ohio. In Wisconsin ([link removed]) , the identity of a police officer who shot a suicidal man at the end of June has been withheld, even from court records, thanks to its Marsy’s Law. In Ohio ([link removed]) , the Columbus police department is withholding the names of the officers involved in four separate fatal shootings in July and August, citing its Marsy’s Law.

Protecting the rights of actual crime victims is important. But officers involved in altercations while on the job shouldn’t be considered “victims'' entitled to keep their information private. They also shouldn’t be permitted to use Marsy’s Laws to hide from public accountability and scrutiny. Withholding officers’ names makes it harder for journalists to report about police actions, and for the public to hold both individual officers and law enforcement institutions responsible for misconduct.


** What we’re reading
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Tracking & Defending Press Freedom in the U.S. ([link removed]) On this podcast, Kirstin McCudden and Seth Stern of Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) discuss the police raid of the Marion County Record and place it in the context of other threats to the press, documented by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker ([link removed]) . As Stern notes, we can’t afford to be complacent about press freedom in the United States, which this year dropped to 45th in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index ([link removed]) . We also discussed growing threats to press freedom with The Guardian ([link removed]) .

Trump’s Georgia arraignment expected to be televised, Fulton County judge says ([link removed]) . We’ve long supported cameras in the courtroom. However, despite the immense public interest in the criminal trials of former President Donald Trump, so far it looks like only his Georgia trial has a chance of being televised. There’s no reason for federal courts to stubbornly stick to their long-standing ban on cameras in courts. Denying the public real-time access to these newsworthy trials will only foster an atmosphere of distrust and confusion.

Julian Assange's brother says WikiLeaks founder could return to Australia as US Ambassador hints at plea deal ([link removed]) . It’s beyond time to end the prosecution of Julian Assange. No matter what you think of Assange, prosecuting him under the Espionage Act for publishing information received from a source threatens all journalism in the United States. The Department of Justice should immediately drop this prosecution.
Canada wildfires: Trudeau criticises Facebook over news ban amid crisis ([link removed]) . We’ve previously panned Meta for blocking news in Canada to retaliate for legislation requiring it to share profits with news outlets. But Meta’s tantrum is now complicating Canadians’ ability to find and share information about wildfires. Meta has threatened ([link removed]) the same retaliatory measures in the U.S. should similar laws be enacted here. The bills at issue are controversial ([link removed]) , but that’s besides the point. Meta is putting people’s lives in danger out of petulance.

Pursuant to FPF's Privacy Policy ([link removed]) , please note the addition of the bolded portion of the language that follows: "FPF’s internal analytical logging involves logging, for up to 30 days, two bytes of the IP address, as well as the referrer page, time stamp, page requested, user agent, language header, website visited, actions taken while on the page (such as selecting particular search filters or clicking particular buttons), and a hash of all of this information."


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