First Amendment protections serve all Americans. A free and bold press informs us on current issues, fosters community connections, and keeps a critical eye on those in power — at both the local and national levels. To do the job, journalists need resources, access, and confidence that this Constitutional right will be upheld.

But today, journalists are shut out of public forums and arrested while covering protests. Political attacks undermine journalistic rights and credibility. And powerful interests launch lawsuits designed to bankrupt newsrooms, and silence sources and stories. Few local newsrooms have sufficient access to legal support. Many struggle to afford insurance against libel and defamation suits, and they have no rainy day fund for  major court battles. This environment incentivizes self-censorship and threatens vital coverage.

The Press Freedom strategy seeks to address immediate threats now and rebuild a culture and infrastructure for press freedom in America that meets the demands of our changing media. We foster collaboration and mobilize resources to:

• Provide direct legal assistance to journalists and newsrooms under threat
• Grow the network of university-based legal clinics providing pro-bono services to local newsrooms across the country and educating the next generation of press freedom defenders
• Track the health of press freedom, research the challenges, and identify effective solutions at both the national and local levels
• Promote public awareness and embrace of press freedoms as a right of every American
• Provide libel and defamation training to help newsrooms mitigate risks and become more insurable
• Support citizens in filing Freedom of Information requests to increase transparency and access across the government