18 Journalism Groups Send Open Letter to President-Elect Donald Trump for Press Access
The journalism organizations that sent the open letter to President-elect Donald Trump.
Journalists are concerned that President-elect Donald Trump and a new right-wing Congress will be the biggest threat to American civil liberties and freedom of speech in our lifetimes. A group of 18 journalism organizations wrote an open letter to Trump for press access.
Below is the complete letter.
Dear President-elect Trump,
We, a group of diverse journalism associations representing thousands of journalists from the nation’s capital to every corner of the country, begin this letter on a hopeful note. Your administration is a blank slate and we are eager to work with you to perpetuate one of this nation’s great strengths: our freedom of the press.
As the new leader of the free world, we expect that you will preserve longstanding traditions that ensure coverage of the Trump presidency. The idea of a press pool that covers all of the president’s movements is one that dates back to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration. Every president of both parties has treated this important tradition with respect. The role of the press pool is critically important to our country, whose citizens depend on and deserve to know what the president is doing. This isn’t about access for the press itself, it’s about access for Americans in diverse communities across the country. Your constituents receive information from a variety of platforms to learn about what our president is doing.
Being president is an enormous responsibility and working with the White House Correspondents’ Association to ensure journalists’ access is one small but important part of that. We call on you to commit to a protective press pool from now until the final day of your presidency. We respectfully ask you to instill a spirit of openness and transparency in your administration in many ways but first and foremost via the press pool.
We also call for access to you via regular press conferences and pool sprays and to your key decision-makers. You have an opportunity as incoming president to set the tone for your staff speaking on the record for the sake of transparency. We also hope your administration will improve response rates to FOIA requests as a way to show the American people, and the world, that the republic belongs to the people.
A great America depends on having sunlight on its leaders. We expect the traditions of White House press coverage to be upheld whether in Washington or elsewhere. Again we, a joint group of diverse journalism associations, speak as one as we respectfully ask that you take these steps to ensure access to our members covering your administration.
Thomas Burr
President
The National Press ClubBarbara Cochran
President
National Press Club Journalism InstituteLynn Walsh
President
Society of Professional JournalistsMizell Stewart III
President
American Society of News EditorsMike Cavender
Executive Director
Radio Television Digital News Association and FoundationDelphine Halgand
US Director
Reporters Without Borders/RSFCourtney Radsch
Advocacy Director
Committee to Protect JournalistsSandy K. Johnson
President
National Press FoundationSarah Glover
President
National Association of Black JournalistsBrandon Benavides
President, Board of Directors
National Association of Hispanic JournalistsBryan Pollard
President
Native American Journalists AssociationPaul Cheung
President
Asian American Journalists AssociationJen Christensen
President
National Association of LGBTQ JournalistsElisa Lees Munoz
Executive director
The International Women’s Media FoundationAllison Sherry
President
Regional Reporters AssociationJoshua Hatch
President, Board of Directors
Online News AssociationSandra Fish
President
Journalism and Women SymposiumMelissa Lyttle
President
National Press Photographers Association
—Posted by Eric Ortiz
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Source: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/journalism_groups_send_open_letter_to_trump_for_press_access_20161117/
F MSM! Trump needs to open his own TV channels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my MSM TV has been off for over a month. They lied to Hillary too,with all their fake numbers and pools. When she was making her way belated concession speech, her left cheek looked like somebody had finally slapped the evil dog crap out of her, leaving a two long finger bruise. Id like to thank whomever it was, cuz I was so mad I couldn’t.! Thanks, Bill???