Freedom Of The Press (Let’s keep it free!)

This is the first blog post in a series showing ways in which you can help to make a difference, rather than feeling helpless, at the state of the world. Read all about it here.

Image by Ed Stein.

What’s the problem?

While I have my views on the current political climate in America, this isn’t about that. This is about protecting something recognised the world over as a sign of “the free world”; the freedom of the media to openly and honestly investigate and report stories.

In the last week that freedom has been undermined and, despite not being in the USA, this scares me. If the press becomes driven by government then access to information will become more limited (as we’re already seeing), and free speech will become — well — much less free!

Some recent events causing concern:

• At least six journalists are facing prison sentences and financial penalties as a result of doing their job, covering the protests around Donald Trump’s inauguration. (Read more from the New York Times)
• A gagging order has been placed on agencies and organisations that don’t fall in line with the beliefs of Trump’s administration. This includes scientists, environmentalists, agriculturists, astronauts and park rangers. (Read more from Slate)
• Donald Trump has, on numerous occasions, berated the media, accusing them of lying (when they are telling uncomfortable truths about him) and of being “garbage”. He has declared that he has “a running war with the media”. With the power he now has as President, this hostility is a threat to an entire industry. Trump is implying that if they don’t toe the line and tell the stories he wants them to tell, then it’s game over. Many consider this a breach of The First Amendment. (Read more from The Atlantic)
• The new White House strategist, Steve Bannon, said that the media “is the opposition party” and it should “should keep its mouth shut”. This is an industry based on communicating… (Read more in the New York Times)
• Every tweet Trump and his aides post complaining about “fake news” is part of something bigger, it is strategically delegitimising the media — making it seem like all media is dishonest and, as a consequence, Trump is the only one to trust. (Read more in the Press Gazette)

How you can help.

If you’re concerned, take action. Here are some ways to make a difference:

1. Make a contribution to the legal defence fund, helping journalists with court costs when defending the freedom of speech and press. Run by The Society for Professional Journalism, every application for funding goes through a formal approval process.
2. Donate to The American Civil Liberties Union, they have taken legal action demanding that Trump reveals documentation to show if his actions are for the public interest or for personal gain. A contentious issue, but just one of the many ways they are working to “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States”. The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation’s guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
3. Support journalism in the public interest, donate to Pro Republica. ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. They focus exclusively on what they call, stories with “moral force.” Shining a light on exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those with power to vindicate the trust placed in them. Their About Us page is well worth a read, it explains why investigative non-partisan journalism is so vital to the modern world.
4. Subscribe to publications bringing you the real picture. Great journalism takes time, resource and manpower — this costs money and many publications are struggling to fund it through traditional advertising models. If you read a paper or website regularly then subscribe to their content, a small regular payment for the content you’re consuming helps them to keep creating that content to keep you informed. (The New York Times and The Economist are two publications I’d suggest worth subscribing to for well researched coverage of current affairs)
5. Support the indies. With recent events there has been a surge in support for well established publications. It’s worth noting that they often use smaller publications and freelancers to form their information network as they have greater freedom to dig for stories without more traditional editorial calendar restraints. Check these out as a start but bear in mind that there are many more leading the way for journalism with accountability: The Intercept, Axios, Mic, The Outline, World Policy Journal (politics), Verifeye Media.
6. Report inaccuracies and false news in the UK to the The Independent Press Standards Organisation. While this isn’t a move all in the industry would advocate and is only relevant for publications under the IPSO’s jurisdiction, it may help to maintain the integrity of the media.
   Part of the Editors Code (which the IPSO upholds across the UK) is “The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images… A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence.”
7. Follow FAIR.org, the USA’s national media watchdog group, offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship, to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinising media practices that marginalise public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints. Uniquely FAIR works with both activists and journalists. They regularly post breaches of “fair” reporting and direct you in ways you can #TakeAction.
8. Educate yourself with resources from First Draft News. They’re dedicated to improving skills and standards in the reporting and sharing of information online. Providing practical and ethical guidance in how to find, verify and publish content sourced from the social web.
9. Share the facts.
   The stories that are being trampled on, the agencies who are losing a voice, get their word out as far and wide as you can. Some who’ve been told to keep their mouth’s shut are rebelling. You can find them with the hashtag #RESIST. You can see all of the #Twistance accounts here, compiled by Alice Stollmeyer.

The number of accounts signifies the lengths to which the Trump administration are attempting to silence public communication that does not suit their agenda, some key accounts are:

@RogueNASA

@AltMtRainierNPS

@AltUsNatParkSer

I hope this is a helpful resource for those who are, like me, done with feeling helpless. If you have helpful suggestions please add them in the comments and I’ll do my best to keep this up-to-date. Another post will follow shortly on a different topic, until then.