Pass the PRESS Act
The PRESS Act is the most important press freedom bill in modern history.
More on the IssueThe PRESS Act is the most important press freedom bill in modern history.
More on the IssueToo often, police arrest journalists for doing their jobs. These arrests and prosecutions chill important reporting.
More on the IssueThe U.S. classifies far too many secrets, obstructing democracy.
More on the IssueVeteran journalist Catherine Herridge threw her full support behind the PRESS Act, the federal bill to put an end to surveillance and subpoenas to force journalists to out their sources, during Congressional testimony on April 11, 2024.
Evidence of unlawful retaliation continued to mount after raid left the headlines
Senate must advance legislation to protect journalists and their sources from subpoenas and surveillance
Espionage Act charges against Assange would criminalize journalism, no matter how often the government calls him a hacker
Just a few months into 2024, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented four arrests or detentions of journalists covering protests in New York, Tennessee, and California. These arrests violate journalists’ rights, and they undermine the right of the public to learn about newsworthy events happening in their communities. They also show the disturbing and stubborn persistence of a system of policing that either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about First Amendment rights.
Journalists and sources face confusion and unpredictability without a federal shield law. The public suffers as a result
Even “catch and release” arrests threaten press freedom
On Tuesday, the High Court in London granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange another hearing on his extradition to the United States, averting — at least temporarily — a press freedom catastrophe. While we’re glad that Assange isn’t being immediately extradited, the threat to journalists from the Espionage Act charges against him remains.
To protect the public’s right to know, the court should find that the press has a First Amendment right to cover police activity in public places
Discussion highlights implications of Assange prosecution for journalism in US and globally