Defend the Press

Clear Channel Stands Behind Limbaugh

by Emily Osborne — March 6, 2012 - 9:35am

After news of Rush Limbaugh's misogynistic insults towards Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke hit the airwaves, Ultra Violet, a non-profit online community "fighting to expand women's rights and combat sexism," launched an online petition targeting Limbaugh's advertisers. Limbaugh, the same man who was stopped at an airport for carrying illicit bottles of Viagra on a trip to the Dominican Republic, called Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" after she testified before Congress arguing for the importance of contraception coverage by universities and employers, regardless of their religious affiliation. Adding fuel to fire, Limbaugh demanded that Fluke release tapes of her having sex to the public in exchange for contraception coverage.

News

The Day Egypt Disappeared

by Mary Bottari — February 14, 2011 - 10:00am

Topics: Internet, Democracy, International, Media, Propaganda, Secrecy

Projects: Defend the Press

On February 11, 2011, after 30 years of dictatorship, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak announced he was stepping down. As ancient pharaohs slumbered inside, a crowd of over a million surrounded the rose-colored Cairo Museum setting off fireworks and jumping for joy as they peacefully forced a modern pharaoh to flee. This hopeful moment will be studied for years, and no topic will be more hotly debated than the role of social media in the uprising.

A Victory for Ehren Watada -- and for Freedom of the Press

by Sarah Olson — November 26, 2007 - 11:00am

Topics: Journalism, Iraq, Human Rights

Projects: Defend the Press

Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada saw his case move one step closer to resolution earlier this month when a federal court issued a preliminary injunction against a second court martial. The Army's prosecution of the first officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq has been in legal limbo since a February court martial ended abruptly when the military judge threw out a stipulation agreement and declared a mistrial.

Beatdown on Bloggers

by Sheldon Rampton — October 20, 2007 - 3:26pm

As the internet becomes an increasingly important source of information for the public, government repression is shifting from traditional journalists to bloggers, according to the latest Worldwide Press Freedom Index issued by

Main Source:

Reporters Without Borders, October 16, 2007

Journalists Jailed

by Sheldon Rampton — October 19, 2007 - 2:10pm

The executive editor and CEO of Village Voice Media were arrested Thursday night after publishing details of what they call "breathtaking abuse of the constitution" in a grand jury subpoena against their Arizona newspaper, the New Times.

Main Source:

Arizona Republic, October 19, 2007

"Just in Time" Censorship

by Diane Farsetta — October 4, 2007 - 2:44pm

It isn't just Burmese pro-democracy activists who have been denied Internet access by heavy-handed government censors. "OpenNet Initiative, which tracks Internet censorship, has documented signs that in recent years several governments -- including those of former Soviet republics Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan -- have closed off Internet access, or at least opposition Web sites, during periods preceding elections or times of intense protests.

Main Source:

New York Times, October 4, 2007

Prisoner 345

by Sheldon Rampton — July 25, 2007 - 4:51pm

"For the past five years," Sami al-Haj, a cameraman for Al Jazeera, "has been the only journalist known to be held in Guantánamo Bay," reports Rachel Morris. Al-Haj was originally detained in December 2001 while trying to cross the border into Afghanistan with a team of other journalists. After examining his case, Morris can find little evidence to justify his detention.

Main Source:

Columbia Journalism Review, July/August 2007

Melanie Morgan Still Wants to Kill

by Sheldon Rampton — July 25, 2007 - 10:36am

Main Source:

Media Matters for America, July 20, 2007

What's Fair in Coverage of RCTV Shutdown?

by Diane Farsetta — May 29, 2007 - 2:15pm

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) is criticizing U.S.

Main Source:

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), May 25, 2007

The Not-So-Free Press, Worldwide

by Diane Farsetta — May 24, 2007 - 2:19pm

After giving an interview to Afghanistan's Tolo TV in which she called the Afghan parliament "worse than a stable or a zoo," because "at least there you have a donkey that carries a load and a cow that provides milk," Malalai Joya was suspended from Parliament.

Main Source:

Associated Press, May 21, 2007