Thursday, June 30, 2005

Journalists to Foley: can we keep eating lunch?

This was posted on Romenesko today:

From LINDA FOLEY, Newspaper Guild-CWA president:

Like most in the journalism community, we are outraged and concerned about the contempt proceedings against Judith Miller and Matt Cooper. We would like to promote a demonstration of support and protest by coordinating two minutes of silence in newsrooms across America at noon EST on Wednesday, July 6. That's the day the district court judge has said he will impose jail sentences. We also are encouraging journalists to organize courthouse vigils throughout the country on the same day. We are soliciting support from various publishers and others who care about investigative journalism. This won't change the situation, unfortunately, but it will send a message that we all support the principles these colleagues are willing to go to jail for. It also will help build support for a national shield law. People can e-mail me or call 202-434-7177 if they'd like more information.

Update: Romenesko, July 1: A minute of silence in newsrooms accomplishes nothing.

Protesting the contempt proceedings against Judith Miller and Matthew Cooper with brief silence 'is a sweet symbolic gesture but accomplishes nothing,' writes Tom Farmer. 'If you really want to make a difference spend that minute, and thousands more, working up takeouts on the anatomy of fear-driven, market-focused corporate journalism and how it’s slowly anesthetized the American polity from almost everything that matters.'
Do these people ever realize how arrogant they sound?

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