It could happen anywhere. I am referring to the erosion of press freedom in the US.
As has been shown by the harassment and arrest of journalists in nominally democratic countries, like Hungary, Serbia and Turkey, living in a “democracy” is no guarantee.
It’s too easy to dismiss criticism of the US government’s approach to the press as examples of ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ but the threats are real.
Recent examples include:
- The White House has barred Associated Press from press events in the Oval Office and Air Force One for exercising its first amendment right to free speech, in this case continuing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of Mexico. The White House press secretary described press access as a privilege not a right. Subtext: If you cross us, we’ll deny you access.
- The White House has taken control of which members of the press can attend events. For more than a century, this has been the preserve of the White House Correspondents’ Association. At the recent Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky, this was possibly a contributing factor in the first question being given to a representative of right-wing news platform Real America’s Voice, Brian Glenn (boyfriend of Republican congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene), who asked the Ukrainian president: “Why don’t you wear a suit?” It went downhill from there.
- The president is suing a number of media organisations, including the Des Moines Register, for publishing what proved to be a very inaccurate pre-election poll, and CBS for what Trump has said was deceitful editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris.
At a recent speech at the Department of Justice, in itself a highly unusual place for a president to give a speech, Trump described CNN and MSNBC as “corrupt and illegal”. The subtext to the nation’s prosecutors: do something about it. History tells us that rulers do not always need to give direct orders for bad stuff to happen — “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?”.
Out of fear of possible repercussions, media outlets have started to self-censor. Famously, under pressure from owner Jeff Bezos, the Washington Post pulled its pre-election editorial endorsing Harris. The Los Angeles Times did similar.
Stephen J. Adler wrote recently in the Columbia Journalism Review: “Media self-censorship, anticipatory compliance, capitulation, bending the knee. Whatever you call it, it represents one of the most insidious means by which people with power can squelch news reporting that doesn’t serve their interests. You don’t have to arrest or fire reporters — you just have to make them increasingly afraid that you will.”
In the Guardian, Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, reminded us of a quote from Judge Murray Gurfein who, when denying a request from the Nixon administration for an injunction to prevent publication by the Washington Post, then under previous owners, of the Pentagon Papers, said: “A ubiquitous press must be suffered by those in authority in order to preserve the even greater values of freedom of expression and the right of the people to know.”
Ginsberg concluded: “If vital media institutions are to survive this administration, it will be because essential media, on all sides, stand up clearly and unequivocally for the right to report the news. After all, challenging the bullies is part of the job.”
This article was first published in InPublishing magazine. If you would like to be added to the free mailing list to receive the magazine, please register here.
