How to build a newsroom plan for responding to First Amendment threats
A Poynter guide to the documents and policies you need to gather and communicate
Last month, Poynter published a guide to help journalists respond immediately to legal threats and protect their ability to report independently.
This next guide in our series is designed to help leaders prepare in advance for their newsrooms to do journalism when First Amendment rights are at stake—which, incidentally, is a lot like building coverage plans before a breaking news story escalates quickly. What you do now determines how well you’ll respond when it really matters.
The current climate in the U.S. is a heads-up to all journalism leaders to assemble the information and resources you’ll need if equipment is seized, your reporters are arrested, or they’re in the field covering violence or unrest.
Related Knowledge Center: Free speech and public protest
The First Amendment is facing challenging times: Crackdowns on campus protests prompted both-sides claims of intolerance. Attempts to head off dangerous health misinformation have been characterized as violations of free speech. Donald Trump is publicly punishing news outlets that deviate from his administration’s version of events while privately suing some outlets into submission.
The White House vs. the press | Voiceless America
Related Knowledge Center: Media and the law
Toxic politics and vast shifts in the technology landscape have created a plethora of thorny issues — both legal and ethical — for newsrooms, courts, and regulators.
The Meta-FTC trial | Section 230