RTDNA Opposes State Department's Ban of NPR Journalist

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The Radio Television Digital News Association

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and its Voice of the First Amendment Task Force are standing with the State Department Correspondents' Association in its defense of what it calls "the unjust removal" of Michele Kelemen of NPR from the press pool covering Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's upcoming trip to the UK, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

RTDNA says the removal of Kelemen days after Secretary Pompeo harshly criticized the work of NPR leads us to conclude the State department took this action in retaliation against NPR as a result of this exchange.

"We believe that punishing journalists for their constitutionally guaranteed right to seek and report the truth hampers the public's ability to be informed about the actions of the administration. We ask the State Department to reconsider their ban and allow Michele to travel with Secretary Pompeo," said RTDNA. "RTDNA stands ready to fight for journalists, and, more important, the public's need to know what its public officials are doing in their name."

RTDNA's Voice of the First Amendment Task Force defends against threats to the First Amendment and news media access and helps the public better understand why responsible journalism is essential to their daily lives. RTDNA is a founding partner of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, the archive of record for threats against press freedom in America.