The News Media for Open Government today sent a position paper to President-Elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’s transition team, outlining policy objectives that support and strengthen openness in government and the right to a free and independent press.
Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution, introduced by Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), calling for increased diversity in American media. The News Media Alliance applauds Rep. Demings and her fellow sponsors and co-sponsors, and joins them in their commitment to improving diversity in the media.
Today’s guilty verdict of Filpino journalist Maria Ressa is a terrible setback in the ongoing quest to protect and preserve press freedom around the world.
We applaud Reps. Scanlon and Schiff for recognizing and reaffirming journalists’ Constitutional rights and calling for the protection of these journalists, who are risking their lives to bring critical news and information to the public.
Regardless of whether or not Julian Assange is a “journalist,” the May 23 indictment of Assange crosses a clear constitutional line. In the 102-year history of the Espionage Act, the United States has never deployed that Act to punish the publication of information. An interpretation of the Espionage Act to criminally punish publication of information plainly violates the First Amendment.
The News Media Alliance applauds Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) for bicameral introduction the Journalist Protection Act.
