Journalists And Free-speech Advocates Come Together After Trump Ban

A ban on one is almost like a ban on all.

That’s the prevailing feeling now that President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico has been implemented by the White House and challenged in court by the news organizations.

Maybe the feeling won’t last. Maybe the unity will fizzle out. But at least for a moment, Trump’s ban prompted shows of solidarity from almost every corner of the White House press corps and beyond, with local news outlets, social media influencers and free-speech advocates all joining in.

The result on Monday was not a boycott — news about the president was still covered — but something close to a blackout, with a noticeable absence of Trump photos and videos on TV and news websites.

There were so many statements of support on Monday, it was hard to keep track of them all: The Pentagon Press Association. The Society of Professional Journalists. The New York Times. The Atlantic.

Newsrooms like The New Yorker, the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal signed an open letter organized by Committee to Protect Journalists CEO Jodie Ginsberg that said Trump’s ban “sets a dangerous precedent.”

The Associated Press chose not to publish photos of Monday’s presidential appearances. The public radio network NPR announced that it is not airing audio of Trump’s events for the time being. A sign posted in the press workspace at the White House summed up the mood: “I stand with AP, CNN, MS NOW, Politico.”

“There are individual acts of solidarity” happening, “and a broad interest in understanding how every outlet can do its part to stand up in this moment,” a White House correspondent said on condition of anonymity.

News organizations in the US typically compete with each other for scoops, stories, traffic and talent. Sometimes it can get ferocious.

But on this particular issue, there’s widespread awareness that Trump could ban more news outlets based on his mood, so it must be addressed forcefully.

SOURCE: CNN