Press freedom is no longer a given in the US

These are not normal times for American press freedoms. In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, there have been a startling number of actions that, taken together, threaten the availability of independent, fact-based news for vast swaths of America’s population.

From denying access to upending respect for the independence of a free press to vilifying news organizations to threatening reprisals, this administration has begun to exert its power to punish, or reward based on coverage. Whether in the states or on the streets, this behavior is setting a new standard for how the public can treat journalists. The uncertainty and fear resulting from these actions have caused requests for safety advice to increase as journalists and newsrooms aim to prepare for what might be next.

CPJ’s new special report, “Alarm bells: Trump’s first 100 days ramp up fear for the press, democracy”, identifies three ways in which the Trump administration is chipping away at U.S. press freedom:

The restriction of access for some news organizations;
The increasing use of government and regulatory bodies against news organizations;
Targeted attacks against journalists and newsrooms.

CPJ’s report spells out the impacts—current and potential—of these trends for the national, state, and local press. The report also explains how newsrooms are responding, and what CPJ and other press freedom groups are doing to uphold journalist rights in a precarious environment. Finally, it contains recommendations to the Trump administration, to Congress, and to newsrooms on ways to improve press freedom.

Read the report here.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)