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Seth Stern

@seth-stern.bsky.social
8.4K followers 641 following 237 posts

Director of Advocacy @freedom.press

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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 28/09/2026
🔔 Can the judiciary oversee Paramount's self-appointed editorial board? Hear from journalists who saw how these boards work (or don't), with @marielgarza.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @sulliview.bsky.social, and @dicktofel.bsky.social. 🗓️ Oct. 5, 1 pm ET RSVP: freedom.press/editorial-bo...
Invitation to Oct. 5 FPF Zoom webinar on "independent" editorial boards
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Adam Rose @adamrose.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Critical read by @seth-stern.bsky.social in @theintercept.com. Ellisons know a scary amount about you via Oracle. (Ever wonder, "what's their actual product"? It's YOU / your data!) By taking over mass media, they can give America false fears, causing us to give up even more of our data & privacy.
theintercept.com
The Ellisons Could Make a Killing in Big Surveillance With the Paramount Merger
With the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger set to proceed, the Ellisons can stoke Americans’ fears — and sell the government its solution.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 26/09/2026
Anyone heard from David Ellison about all of this? Isn't he trying to buy CNN? You'd think he'd want to stand up for the journalists he seeks to employ. Unless he prioritizes his relationship with Trump over both CNN's interests and press freedom. freedom.press/issues/journ...
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 25/09/2026
It took a week for CNN to get White House access back. Other outlets boycotted in solidarity. But not David Ellison – he dined at the WH with Trump and Xi and ignored calls from 100+ reporters and advocates to stand up for the journalists he seeks to employ.
freedom.press
Journalists, advocates demand Ellison condemn White House ban, back lawsuit
The Paramount Skydance CEO may soon own CNN. He should be condemning the outlet’s ban
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 21/09/2026
David Ellison should put his mouth where his money is.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 19/09/2026
Normally you'd think the first person to condemn Trump kicking CNN out of the White House would be the person trying to buy it. Has anyone heard from David Ellison?
apnews.com
Trump targets more news outlets, saying he will ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House
President Donald Trump says he is barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House due to what he called unfavorable coverage, and threatens that more such prohibitions of media outlets could fol...
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 18/09/2026
David Ellison wrote an NYT op-ed telling us we could trust him to run CNN. Well now his buddy Donald says he's banning CNN from the White House. Time to put his mouth where his money is. Surely he'll stand up for the journalists he wants to employ, even if his friend is president. We'll wait...
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 18/09/2026
Of course Brendan Carr restricted Paramount's foreign investors from censoring the news. That's HIS job! And he's going to keep doing it until Congress or the courts stop him.
reuters.com
US FCC approves foreign investment in Paramount Warner merger
The Federal Communications Commission approved a Paramount Skydance request to allow foreign investors to back its $110 ​billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery but said they could not ‌hold voti...
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 16/09/2026
Journalist @pablo.show’s reporting triggered a DOJ investigation into a massive NBA scandal. But despite using reporters’ leads, the Trump admin continues to crack down on journalist-source confidentiality. That’s why it’s time to pass the PRESS Act. Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social explain:
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 16/09/2026
🔔 What does Stanford Daily v. Rubio mean for free speech? Join our webinar to learn how the Trump admin’s deportation scheme affects journalism both on campus and off, with @ctfitzpatrick.bsky.social, Esha Bhandari, and Marium Uddin. 🗓️ Sept. 18, 1 p.m. ET RSVP: freedom.press/stanford-daily
Invitation to Sept. 18 FPF webinar on Stanford Daily v. Rubio.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 12/09/2026
Tell Senate Commerce to reject Danielle Thumann Severs as FCC commissioner. As staffer for Trump censorship czar Brendan Carr, she’s done nothing to rein in his abuses.
freedom.press
📣 Take Action: Write a letter opposing Danielle Thumann Severs’ confirmation as FCC commissioner
Make an impact with guided actions from Freedom of The Press Foundation.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 11/09/2026
Prosecutors love to piggyback off of investigative journalism like @pablo.show's. This work would be impossible without confidential sources. The DOJ should be cheering for legislation like the PRESS Act that would protect journalist-source confidentiality.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 11/09/2026
Pete Hegseth’s propaganda push is failing. No matter how many journalists he bans from the Pentagon, the press is still finding scoops. But that could change, unless politicians stop supporting crackdowns on leaks and restrictions on the open internet.
freedom.press
Hegseth is a propaganda flop. Don’t let Congress throw him a lifeline
Whistleblowers and the open internet are key to undermining official half-truths, but lawmakers keep trying to weaken both
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 11/09/2026
🔔 What does Stanford Daily v. Rubio mean for free speech? Join our webinar to learn how the Trump admin’s deportation scheme affects journalism both on campus and off, with @ctfitzpatrick.bsky.social, Esha Bhandari, and Marium Uddin. 🗓️ Sept. 18, 1 p.m. ET RSVP: freedom.press/stanford-daily
Invitation to Sept. 18 FPF webinar on Stanford Daily v. Rubio.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 11/09/2026
What will a Pentagon-controlled Stars & Stripes look like? Look no further than what happened to once-independent prison newspapers transformed into propaganda outlets. FPF contributor Jeremy Busby explains.
freedom.press
The Stars and Stripes firings look familiar to those behind bars
What censorship of prison newspapers can tell us of where the military news outlet may be headed
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 08/09/2026
Brendan Carr can call news he doesn't like fake news and polls he doesn't like fake polls, but there's a real First Amendment and he doesn't get to veto it whenever his thin-skinned puppeteer in the White House gets his feelings hurt.
broadbandbreakfast.com
Carr Warns Broadcasters about Airing Fake Polls, Says New Guidance Could Be on the Way
In an interview on the Fox News cable news network, the FCC leader says he’s concerned fake polls could suppress voter turnout
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Seth Stern @seth-stern.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
How about this: Any time government investigators want employees to take polygraphs on whether they leaked a story to a reporter, the officials the story implicates also need to take polygraphs on whether the reporting is true.
nytimes.com
Pentagon Subjects Roughly 50 Members of the Joint Staff to Polygraph Tests in Expanded Leak Hunt
The aggressive effort comes in the wake of news reports about the military’s diminished stocks of crucial munitions as the U.S. fights Iran.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 02/09/2026
Trump’s newest lawsuit threat against @americanprogress.bsky.social comes with a dangerous twist. He is attempting to turn criticism of government policy into a personal defamation claim. Like CAP or hate them, this is a direct threat to the First Amendment. @trevortimm.bsky.social explains:
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 02/09/2026
It’s a relief the judge got this right, FPF’s @seth-stern.bsky.social told the @arkansasadvocate.com, but it’d be better if judges would “sanction litigants and lawyers who waste the time and resources of both the judiciary and the press with these unconstitutional demands to gag journalists.”
arkansasadvocate.com
Judge denies effort to block Arkansas outlets from publishing details about data center agreement | Arkansas Advocate
A federal judge rejected an effort Wednesday to block two Arkansas news outlets from publishing details about an agreement regarding a West Memphis data center, in a case that alarmed free speech grou...
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 02/09/2026
Obama Center's First Amendment fail: The erroneous quiz answers may have children thinking that free speech is easily curtailed, priming them to accept censorship as normal and reasonable. Read FPF’s @seth-stern.bsky.social op-ed in @chicago.suntimes.com:
chicago.suntimes.com
Obama Center's First Amendment fail
The erroneous quiz answers may have children thinking that free speech is easily curtailed, priming them to accept censorship as normal and reasonable.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
IFJ- International Federation of Journalists @ifjglobal.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
#USA: Indemnification clauses in freelance contracts push freelance journalists into legal precarity, with media institutions shifting legal risk onto them amid the Trump administration's ongoing harassment of journalists. Read more ⤵️
freedom.press
Oppressive freelance contracts add to the chill on journalism
Passing legal risk to freelancers is not only harmful but pointless
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Seth Stern @seth-stern.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
This Larry Ellison interview from @theonion.com may be satire but it's closer to reality than Paramount's astroturfing campaign.
theintercept.com
This Mysterious “Astroturf” Group Popped Up to Defend the Paramount Merger
In text messages, the newly formed “Neighbors for Strong Communities” boosted reported threats by CEO David Ellison to move Paramount out of California.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 27/08/2026
SLAPP suits aim to make hard-hitting journalism feel so dangerous and expensive that reporters self-censor. Publishers shouldn’t make it worse. It’s time for them to scrap oppressive indemnification clauses for freelancers, argues FPF’s @seth-stern.bsky.social.
freedom.press
Oppressive freelance contracts add to the chill on journalism
Passing legal risk to freelancers is not only harmful but pointless
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 26/08/2026
Lobbying for press freedom legislation in a post-Trump world will require a "relentless, multipronged effort from the very beginning of the congressional session," FPF's @trevortimm.bsky.social writes for @knightcolumbia.org. That includes passing the PRESS Act. Read more:
knightcolumbia.org
How Do We Aggressively Lobby for Press Freedom Legislation in a Post-Trump World?
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 25/08/2026
🧵 ICYMI: We are suing Donald Trump for his brazenly corrupt scheme to sell early access to his Truth Social posts. But it’s not the only active lawsuit we have against the Trump administration or his cronies. In fact, we now have NINE. Learn more ⬇️
freedom.press
Our lawsuits
Freedom of the Press Foundation litigation over excessive government secrecy
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 26/08/2026
🔔 Federal health agencies are stonewalling the press. Join our webinar to learn how to push for transparency, with @bobjherman.bsky.social, @caitlinvogus.bsky.social, @sherylnyt.bsky.social, @joycefr.bsky.social, and Robert King. 🗓️ Sept. 1, 2 p.m. ET RSVP: freedom.press/healthcare-transparency
FPF flyer invitation to Sept. 1 webinar on healthcare reporting transparency.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 26/08/2026
Are you a journalist who uses FOIA or other public records laws in your reporting? Then you could win $25,000 through our new journalism award, the Penlight Prize. But the deadline is approaching fast! Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social to learn more, and apply today!
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 24/08/2026
"CENTCOM needs to stop blacklisting journalists and tell the public who is on the blacklist and why they were placed there," FPF's Seth Stern told @theintercept.com's @nickturse.bsky.social. "Whoever was behind the blacklist should be blacklisted from government employment."
theintercept.com
Pentagon Spokesperson Admits There’s a Secret Blacklist of Journalists
When pressed about the Iran war, a CENTCOM press official threatened to put an Intercept reporter on a “list of people to disregard.”
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Seth Stern @seth-stern.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
In a world where the law made sense, presidents who claim personal civil damages for their official acts would be barred from ever claiming immunity for their official acts.
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Seth Stern @seth-stern.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Larry Ellison said he wants to surveil everyone, Jewish, Palestinian or neither, to keep us on our best behavior. It's not antisemitic to talk about how his gov subsidized surveillance, war and "scary technology" businesses may impact his family's media outlets www.ms.now/opinion/davi...
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Seth Stern @seth-stern.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
The Ellisons wanted to convince America that they won't launder government propaganda and push their dystopian surveillance agenda if allowed to expand their media empire by taking over Warner Bros. So to prove it they apparently hired...Flock Safety's astroturfing firm.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Evan Greer @evangreer.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I wonder why backers of the Paramount merger are resorting to shady astroturf operations like "Neighbors for Strong Communities," a fake organization with an address in Washington, DC that's a nondescript black door next to an Italian restaurant texting ppl in California about "Hollywood jobs"? Oh.
hollywoodreporter.com
California AG Rob Bonta Says David Ellison Is “Desperate” and “Grasping at Straws”
In an expansive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bonta laid out his strategy and took aim at the Paramount chief and emerging legal rival. “He cannot flee accountability.”
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Evan Greer @evangreer.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Here's a fun little dive into corporate astroturfing in the USA: There's an "organization" called Neighbors for Strong Communities that lists no board members, staff or funders. The address on their website is a nondescript black door in Washington, DC next to an Italian restaurant. Seems legit!
https://neighborsforstrongcommunities.org/ homepageaddress of the astroturf firm
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Freedom of the Press Foundation's Seth Stern says that "countless others whose First Amendment rights have been chilled by Carr’s antics should follow Disney’s lead," stating that "it's about time for someone to take Carr and his FCC to court over their endless campaign of intimidation."
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 16/08/2026
"At the same time the president is selling advance access to his official communications to those with the deepest pockets, the Justice Department is engaged in an all-out effort to keep the rest of the president’s records completely hidden from the public," writes FPF's @laurenleharper.bsky.social.
ms.now
Opinion | All the president’s records are either secret — or for sale
A president cannot strip us of timely access to executive decisions simply because he found a way to turn the podium into a private revenue stream.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 16/08/2026
"Perhaps no journalist has endured such a sustained sequence of violence, prosecution, and imprisonment at the hands of the U.S. government." Read more from FPF's @adamrose.bsky.social about the alarming abuse endured by Carlitos Ricardo Parias.
theintercept.com
ICE Shot a Journalist and Threw Him in Detention. He’s Approaching 300 Days Behind Bars With a Festering Wound.
With the case of Carlitos Ricardo Parias, the U.S. has broken its own record for holding a journalist in custody.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 12/08/2026
Gagging a journalist and holding her notes for more than three years is outrageous. Even worse, the judge responsible seems to be hiding behind procedural rules to block her from appealing. The North Carolina Supreme Court should put a stop to it.
theassemblync.com
Attorney Seeks Help From Higher Court in Getting Reporter's Notes Back
An attorney for The News & Record is heading to the state Supreme Court, hoping to overturn a judge’s decisions to seize a reporter’s notes.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 07/08/2026
🔔 Join us for a live webinar on the latest proposals to strengthen FOIA, and how these changes could help journalists investigating the truth, featuring David Cuillier, Ryan Mulvey, and Margaret Kwoka. 🗓️ Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT RSVP: freedom.press/fixing-foia
FPF flyer for Aug. 11 FOIA webinar
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 05/08/2026
At least 4 journalists are being dragged to court in Newark, NJ, TOMORROW following their arrests while covering protests at Delaney Hall. YOU CAN HELP: Use this form to tell prosecutors they must drop all charges. It takes 1 minute. Supporting democracy has never been this quick, free and easy...
freedom.press
📣 Take Action: Drop criminal charges against journalists in Newark
Make an impact with guided actions from Freedom of The Press Foundation.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 06/08/2026
Florida's anti-speech domestic "terror" laws are the latest example of the state's alarming backslide on free speech and transparency, writes Bobby Block of Florida's First Amendment Foundation.
freedom.press
The ‘Free State of Florida’ is watching — and withholding
Domestic ‘terror’ legislation compounds Florida’s free speech backslide
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 04/08/2026
The Ellisons are taking their “poor billionaires” charm offensive to the op-ed pages. Meanwhile, the news pages aren’t cooperating — every week we learn more about the scope of editorial interference at CBS under their watch.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 04/08/2026
What a great platform to publicly deny promising Trump a CNN overhaul or $20 million in free advertising in exchange for merger approvals. Or to speak out against his bullying of journalists you employ or want to employ. Weird that you didn’t do any of that.
nytimes.com
Opinion | David Ellison: In Defense of the Paramount-Warner Deal
The issue is whether I can be trusted as a steward of CNN
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 04/08/2026
🔔 Join us for a live webinar on the latest proposals to strengthen FOIA, and how these changes could help journalists investigating the truth, featuring David Cuillier, Ryan Mulvey, and Margaret Kwoka. 🗓️ Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT RSVP: freedom.press/fixing-foia
FPF flyer for Aug. 11 FOIA webinar
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Mark Ruffalo @markruffalo.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
David Ellison once again 💩 on the 5625 career film makers that have clearly opposed this merger based on the loss of competition, consolidation of power&decision making, loss of jobs and the ridiculous idea that he is going to make more movies with less money because he is starting $83 bil in hole.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 04/08/2026
David, if you want this charm offensive to work, your dad should sit for an interview. Maybe with an unemployed ex-60 Minutes reporter. He can make the case for giving CBS, CNN and TikTok to a guy building an AI surveillance dystopia. What could go wrong?
ms.now
Opinion | What to know about David Ellison’s embattled bid to acquire Warner Bros.
David Ellison’s embattled bid to acquire Warner Bros. doesn’t make much financial sense. It might still be a win for the Ellison empire and its bigger global plans.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Shirley L. Smith @shirleysmithvi.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Questionable ties between US Virgin Islands officials & Epstein have come to light, but that was because of lawsuits & federal investigations, not a functional public records system. Please join me, the VI Source, and @freedom.press in our quest for more transparency. freedom.press/issues/us-vi...
freedom.press
US Virgin Islands need transparency to weed out corruption
Use our action center to tell officials there to fix the territory’s archaic public records laws
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 01/08/2026
We've been pushing for a federal reporter's privilege law for years, but the Trump administration is making the case better than we ever could. The next Congress needs to pass the PRESS Act so FBI agents stop showing up at freelance journalists' doors with subpoenas.
nytimes.com
Justice Dept. Subpoenas Times Freelancer in Effort to Identify Sources (Gift Article)
A previously undisclosed subpoena, involving reporting on a failed SEAL Team 6 mission in North Korea, reflects the government’s expanding campaign to investigate leaks of secrets.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 31/07/2026
Use our action center to tell officials in the USVI that it's time to finally modernize local public records laws.
freedom.press
📣 Take Action: Modernize US Virgin Islands open records law
Make an impact with guided actions from Freedom of The Press Foundation.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 23/07/2026
The Pentagon's scheme to cut off public access to unclassified documents would let the federal government avoid public accountability. "While its latest move has drawn relatively little attention, it may pose the greatest systemic threat to accountability," writes @freedom.press’ @LaurenHarper.
ms.now
Opinion | Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon secrecy push threatens access to unclassified records
Lauren Harper: The Pentagon’s proposal to Congress would bypass FOIA’s transparency requirements and give the military sweeping powers to withhold nearly all unclassified information.
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Reposted by Seth Stern
Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 31/07/2026
Like documentaries? Then you probably don’t want the two largest privately held news archives — the lifeblood of documentary film — under the same ownership. Especially when that ownership kisses up to politicians by censoring their critics.
whbl.com
Film producers warn Paramount-Warner merger could restrict access to news archives
By Dawn Chmielewski and Paul Sandle LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, July 30 (Reuters) - A group of film producers has urged the British culture minister to intervene in the proposed merger of Paramount Skyda...
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