As a woman reads a newspaper while waiting in line to vote, the importance of press freedom is highlighted. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented at least 165 violations of press freedom in the past year, and many cases go unreported or unnoticed. This incident involving a Daily Southtown reporter being cited by Calumet City for seeking comment from public employees multiple times is just one example of the challenges journalists face in exercising their right to freedom of the press.
Seth Stern, the director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, spoke with Reset about the challenges journalists face in holding those in power accountable and protecting their right to report the news without fear of reprisal. Press freedom is essential for a healthy democracy, and it is crucial that violations are brought to light and addressed in order to protect the rights of journalists to report the news freely.
