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National Press Club Statement on Mass Suspensions at Voice of America
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 U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM): “The mass sidelining of Voice of America journalists, coming just hours after an order to gut its parent agency, raises urgent questions about the future of one of the world’s most important independent news organizations. This isn’t just about cutting an…
Type: News
National Press Club Urges China to Overturn Espionage Conviction of Journalist Dong Yuyu
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 sentenced to seven years in prison for espionage last November. His family recently learned that a court hearing may be scheduled as part of his appeal — a rare development in China’s legal system, where most criminal appeals are resolved without public proceedings. “China still has one last chance to…
Type: News
National Press Club Statement On NPR-PBS Hearings
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 journalists who have a strong track record for accuracy. There has been a long and proud tradition of bipartisan support for both NPR and PBS. It is to the credit of the U.S. government that they support both organizations, two high-quality, unbiased news networks that help inform millions of Americans in an…
Type: News
VOA Journalists Receive Career Support From Press Freedom Center
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 was shocking. On Friday the newly formed Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club had a nice surprise and a helping hand for more than 200 VOA journalists. The Center funded entry to a major job fair held at the Club for all those journalists. Today they lined up to meet employers like the…
Type: News
Family of Yuyu Dong (outside of China) Available After Appeals Hearing Monday
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 time. Dong is accused of espionage and sentenced to seven years in prison at the trial level, but he and his lawyers will argue for a full acquittal on appeal. Even though it is unclear when the appellate decision will be handed down, it is possible for the Beijing High Court to announce a decision…
Type: News
Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club to Host News Conference on VOA TRO Suit, Tuesday at 10am
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 Correspondent at VOA, on behalf of plaintiff AFSA Jessica Jerreat, VOA press freedom editor, plaintiff in Widakuswara v. Lake Kate Neeper, USAGM director of strategy and performance assessment, plaintiff in Widakuswara v. Lake Patsy Widakuswara, VOA White House bureau chief, lead plaintiff Widakuswara v.…
Type: News
Family Statement on Dong Yuyu’s Appeals Session at the Beijing High Court
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 release. He has done nothing wrong.”
Type: News
National Press Club Statement on President Trump’s Oval Office Comments About Austin Tice
WASHINGTON, March 31 –The National Press Club welcomed President Donald Trump’s remarks today in the Oval Office about American journalist Austin Tice — his first public comments about the case since returning to the White House. Tice, a Marine veteran and freelance journalist, was abducted in Syria in August 2012 while reporting on the frontlines of war. For more than 12 years, his family has lived in agonizing uncertainty — knowing Austin survived his capture but still waiting for the U.S. government to bring him home. This moment of presidential attention matters. It must be the beginning…
Type: News
Press Freedom Center Hosts News Conference on Voice of America Lawsuit
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 temporary restraining order was established for the case. The lawsuit was filed on March 23. David Seide - senior counsel for the Government Accountability Project, senior counsel and lead counsel for the lawsuit - spoke alongside lead plaintiff Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA White House bureau chief.…
Type: News
National Press Club Applauds Court Victory for Mississippi Today
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 John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award: “This is a decisive victory for press freedom — and a sharp rebuke to those who seek to bully journalists through the courts. Lawsuits like this are meant to send a chilling message: stop asking tough questions or pay the price. Mississippi Today refused to back…
Type: News