STATE OF THE FREE PRESS 2023: The News That Didn’t Make the News—And Why
“Project Censored holds corporate news media accountable, ensuring that the issues most critical to our collective well-being—including climate change, poverty, racism, war, corporate profiteering—get the attention they deserve.”
–SONALI KOLHATKAR, author of Rising Up: The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice
ABOUT STATE OF THE FREE PRESS 2023
Presenting the year’s most significant independent journalism—including reports on wage theft, fossil fuel subsidies, and dark money–State of the Free Press 2023 highlights issues and voices marginalized by the corporate press.
State of the Free Press 2023 casts a wary eye on the billionaire tycoons who own more and more of the nation’s most prominent news outlets, the digital tech titans who increasingly control the flow of information and the terms of public debate, and government agencies that aspire to “govern disinformation” in the name of national security. The volume’s diverse contributors advocate for press freedom and critical media literacy as means to hold power accountable and to promote a more just and inclusive society.
Balancing critical analysis with optimistic vision, State of the Free Press 2023 shows how to distinguish trustworthy journalism from slanted news and clickbait infotainment.
Educators: The Teaching Guide for publication is available here.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR STATE OF THE FREE PRESS 2023
“Each time a reporter is arrested, pepper-sprayed, or beaten for doing their job, the free press gets a black eye, diminishing the likelihood of a well-informed public, the prospects for justice, and the outlook for the future of democracy. . . With each new assault—whether online or in person, in the courts or on the streets—the work of Project Censored assumes greater urgency.”
–Heidi Boghosian, author of “I Have Nothing to Hide” and 20 Other Myths About Privacy and Surveillance, from the foreword to State of the Free Press 2023
“Project Censored has, once again, shown how news stories critical to a functioning democracy are given short shrift by the corporate media. Independent, truth-telling journalism is under fire. State of the Free Press 2023 reminds us of its power and inspires us to take action to strengthen and preserve our free press.”
–JOHN BIEWEN, host and producer of Scene on the Radio
“More and more, news consumers are forced to ask themselves what constitutes true, authentic information. Project Censored is an invaluable resource to help anyone to make better sense of the world and how it’s reported—or not reported.”
–CLAYTON WEIMERS, executive director, Reporters Without Borders US Bureau
“In a time when establishment media breathlessly parrot State Department talking points and the vast majority of journalists are beholden to corporate masters, Project Censored breathes fresh air into the national dialogue. You’ll gain more truth, understanding, and crucial information from a single Project Censored book than an entire year of the New York Times or the Washington Post.”
–LEE CAMP, host of The Most Censored News, former host of Redacted Tonight
