National Press Club Encouraged By End to Trump's Media Blacklist

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Sep 07, 2016, 03:21 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Press Club President Thomas Burr welcomed reports Wednesday that Donald Trump's campaign has ended its blacklist of certain news organizations, though Burr noted the ban should have never existed in the first place and its removal was long overdue.

For almost a year, the Republican presidential nominee's campaign has blocked journalists from several major news outlets from receiving credentials to cover Trump events. The affected outlets have included the Washington Post, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Politico and the Des Moines Register.

Many of the news organizations were still able to cover some of the events, but not with the same access. Trump's policy had triggered protests from journalists and others who called it a slap at press freedom.

"The world looks to the United States as a beacon of democracy, and part of that is the news media's ability to have unfettered access to our leaders and political candidates," said Burr. "Trump's ban on news organizations whose coverage displeased him was offensive to the very idea of a free press and our democracy, and it's finally time he has dropped the ill-advised policy."

"With the presidential campaign heading into the final stretch, it is more important than ever for the Trump and Hillary Clinton campaigns to open themselves up to increased scrutiny from the news media," Burr added. "They should be willing to take more questions, hold more press conferences and provide more answers as to why they are fit to lead."

The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. Through its Press Freedom Committee, the NPC works to promote freedom of expression and transparency at home and abroad. The club's nonprofit affiliate, the NPC Journalism Institute, provides professional development trainings and supports the next generation of journalists.

Contact: Ferdous Al-Faruque, vice chairman, NPC Press Freedom Committee: [email protected]; 573 239 3343.

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SOURCE National Press Club