The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, along with a coalition of over 30 media, technology and nonprofits are joining forces on a new ad campaign called Protect Press Freedom.
The goal of the collective–which features outlets such as CNN, NBCU, CBS, Sinclair, NPR, Facebook, The Los Angeles Times, Twitter, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal–is to mobilize Americans to support freedom of the press and actively protect their American right to be informed.
“Americans across the country rely on diverse news sources to help them make informed choices every day, but many don’t see the threats that are putting that information at risk,” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press chief Bruce Brown said in a statement. “When one journalist or news source is threatened — whether it’s verbally, physically, or legally — it threatens a fundamental American freedom that’s essential to understanding and participating in our communities. We’re proud to bring news outlets and organizations together to have a conversation with the public about press freedom and encourage people to stand up for their right to information.”
The new 60-second spot, shown below, will air across CNN, NBC, CBS, and Sinclair programming starting tomorrow.
“Journalists around the world are being imprisoned in record numbers, and violence is on the rise,” added Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. “The Protect Press Freedom Campaign is about standing up for the rights of journalists in this country and supporting journalists working in repressive conditions, without the protection of the First Amendment.”
Despite the attacks on press freedom in this country, a majority (52%) of Americans do not believe that it is currently under threat, according to bipartisan research released by the Reporters Committee and Democracy Fund. The Protect Press Freedom campaign endeavors to educate Americans about the threats to press freedom, reinforce the importance of a free press, and celebrate the different types of journalism that keeps the American public informed.
WATCH: