Press Freedom
Journalists who were jailed by the feds call for federal shield law
June 5, 2015
Several former journalists who went to jail to protect their sources from the U.S. government decried the lack of transparency in the Obama administration and called for a national shield law so other reporters won’t be detained in the future. “No one should have to go through what we went through…
Read MorePodcast features NPC President Hughes discussing press freedom
June 3, 2015
The National Press Club has taken its fight for press freedom to a new level. In the most-recent edition of Update-1, NPC President John Hughes explains to NPC Broadcast Committee Vice Chair Adam Konowe why press freedom is under attack and why the Press Club is uniquely positioned to fight for…
Read MoreS.C. reporter plans to join fellow ‘jailbird’ journalists in calling for greater press freedom
June 1, 2015
A South Carolina reporter who went to jail due to his reporting in one the largest corruption prosecutions in U.S. history plans to discuss the need for stronger legal protections for journalists at a National Press Club forum tonight at 6 p.m. in the Murrow Room. Tickets are $5 for Press Club…
Read MoreCourt reporters jailed for refusing to testify in criminal cases to speak at Club June 1
May 29, 2015
Journalists Libby Averyt and David Kidwell both found themselves behind bars in the 1990s for refusing to testify after conducting jailhouse interviews. On Monday, June 1, the two reporters will discuss their experiences going the distance for First Amendment rights at a Club event timed for the…
Read MoreFederal shield law most needed for local, freelance journalists, reporters to say on June 1
May 26, 2015
While a federal shield law would benefit all journalists, those with the most to gain are freelancers and reporters for smaller news organizations, according to two journalists with direct experience in the matter. Lisa Abraham and Josh Wolf will join with nearly a dozen other journalists who have…
Read MoreRoxana Kopetman, who refused to testify, to join June 1 event on jailed journalists
May 22, 2015
In the 1980s, Roxana Kopetman spent time in jail in defense of the principle that journalists should not be compelled to testify just for being witnesses to an event, particularly when there are other bystanders. Kopetman will be part of a panel of fellow jailbird journalists at 6 p.m. Monday, June…
Read MoreState Department official commends Club for freedom of the press advocacy
May 20, 2015
The State Department's assistant secretary for public affairs commended the Press Club and President John Hughes for making press freedom a major theme this year and outlined steps the State Department is taking to protect journalists in increasingly hostile environments at a meeting of American…
Read MoreTV producer who helped expand shield protections in Michigan to speak at Club
May 19, 2015
In 1986, TV producer Bradley Stone spent nearly 48-hours behind bars in Detroit for flouting a subpoena to turn over tapes of interviews with gang members. Stone, who now works at WSB-TV in Atlanta, will discuss his experience when he joins a panel of fellow "jailbird" journalists at 6 p.m. Monday…
Read MoreNational Press Club to Honor Azerbaijani Journalist
May 19, 2015
The National Press Club announced that it will honor an Azerbaijani reporter, Khadija Ismayilova, with one of its 2015 press freedom awards. Ismayilova, who has reported for Radio Free Liberty/Radio Free Europe and other news organizations, has been jailed since December 2014 on a variety of…
Read MoreU.S. journalists jailed for reporting to gather at National Press Club, 6 pm June 1
May 15, 2015
Most of the U.S. journalists who have been jailed defending the First Amendment will gather at 6 p.m. Monday, June 1, at the National Press Club to support protecting whistleblowers and journalists from retribution and prosecution. Nearly a dozen speakers at the event will be members of the media…
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