Press Releases

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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National Press Club Condemns Vietnam’s Jailing of Journalist Truong Huy San

February 28, 2025

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today released the following statement after Vietnamese journalist Truong Huy San was sentenced to 30 months in prison: “Jailing a journalist for speaking the truth is an attack on press freedom everywhere. Vietnam must release Truong…

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National Press Club Statement on White House Press Pool Announcement

February 25, 2025

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement after an announcement that the White House plans to break decades of precedent and handpick members of the press pool. “The White House’s announcement today is a direct challenge to the…

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Press Freedom Event To Mark Three Years of Unjust Detention for Dong Yuyu

February 24, 2025

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected] for the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club News Advisory: What Press Briefing to mark three years of unjust detention for Chinese Journalist Dong Yuyu. The event is sponsored by the newly formed Press Freedom Center at the…

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National Press Club Calls on Chinese Authorities to Release Dong Yuyu

February 21, 2025

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement calling on the Chinese authorities to release Dong Yuyu. "Today marks three years since the unjust detention of journalist Dong Yuyu. The National Press Club once again calls on the Chinese…

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National Press Club Statement on Judge Ordering Mississippi Newspaper to Remove Editorial

February 20, 2025

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 – National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement after a judge ordered a Mississippi newspaper, The Clarksdale Press Register, to delete an editorial that criticized government officials. “A judge ordering a newspaper to erase an editorial isn’t…

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