Press Freedom

National Press Club Applauds Court Victory for Mississippi Today

April 5, 2025

WASHINGTON, April 5 —National Press Club President Mike Balsamo issued the following statement today following the dismissal of former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant’s lawsuit against Mississippi Today, the nonprofit newsroom recognized last year with the Club’s highest press freedom honor, the…

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Press Freedom Center Hosts News Conference on Voice of America Lawsuit

April 1, 2025

WASHINGTON, April 1 – The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club today hosted a news conference on the state of the recent Voice of America (VOA) lawsuit designed to roll back the Administration’s recent actions to shutdown VOA, Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia. On Friday, March 26 a…

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Family Statement on Dong Yuyu’s Appeals Session at the Beijing High Court

March 31, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 31 – Following is a statement from Mike Balsamo, President of the National Press Club: “Today the Beijing High Court heard the appeal of journalist Yuyu Dong. The Dong family has asked us to release their statement below to media. We stand by Mr. Dong and we call for his immediate…

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Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club to Host News Conference on VOA TRO Suit, Tuesday at 10am

March 31, 2025

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-725-7787 or [email protected] for the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club News Advisory: Event News Conference on the recent VOA case where a TRO has been granted. Who Andrew G. Celli, Jr, founding partner, ECBAWM Steven L. Herman, Chief National…

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Family of Yuyu Dong (outside of China) Available After Appeals Hearing Monday

March 29, 2025

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-725-7787 or [email protected] for the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club Yuyu Dong, the renowned Chinese journalist who has been in detention for three years, will have his appeals hearing at the Beijing High Court on Monday, March 31, at 9:30 a.m. local…

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VOA Journalists Receive Career Support From Press Freedom Center

March 28, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 28 – Times have been tough for the dedicated journalists at Voice of America. The Trump Administration’s decision to end federal grant funding to the U.S. Agency for Global Media led to a shutdown of VOA and a massive furlough of all staff. It happened in just a matter of days and…

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National Press Club Statement On NPR-PBS Hearings

March 26, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 26 – Following is a statement from National Press Club President Mike Balsamo on today’s hearings on NPR and PBS. “While Congress has an important role overseeing federal funding, the wild rhetoric from lawmakers at today's hearing undermines the work of a free press and…

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National Press Club Urges China to Overturn Espionage Conviction of Journalist Dong Yuyu

March 24, 2025

WASHINGTON, Mar. 24 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today called on Chinese authorities to overturn the conviction of journalist Dong Yuyu, whose appeal could be heard as soon as April in Beijing. Dong, a respected journalist and longtime editorial writer at Guangming Daily, was…

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National Press Club Statement on Mass Suspensions at Voice of America

March 15, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 15 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement after reports that large numbers of Voice of America journalists have been placed on indefinite leave, just a day after the White House ordered a significant downsizing to VOA’s parent agency, the…

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Press Freedom Program Focuses on Deadly Tank Attack on Journalists from Reuters, AFP, Al Jazeera

March 10, 2025

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected] for the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club News Advisory: UPDATING 3/10: To add that Maya Gebeily and Christina Assi will appear via video Event Program to analyze Oct 13, 2023 attack on journalists from Reuters, Agence France…

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