U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

Analysis

Original analyses on press freedom trends and monthly incident roundups written by U.S. Press Freedom Tracker staff with features on First Amendment issues published by our partner organizations.

Latest

  1. A vertical bar chart showing arrests of journalists in the united states as documented by the Tracker

    Arrests of journalists already doubled over last year

    As of this month, more journalists have now been arrested in 2024 than the last two years combined. Plus, four years after George Floyd’s death — and what it meant for media covering BLM.

    Published
    Written by
    Kirstin McCudden
  2. Incident snapshot 2-29-2024

    ‘He simply reported’

    A snapshot of all incidents documented in the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker so far this year

    Published
    Written by
    Kirstin McCudden
  3. A snapshot of press freedom aggressions across the U.S. in 2023

    ‘Icing out’ the press on the campaign trail

    A snapshot of press freedom aggressions across the U.S. in 2023, as documented by the Tracker. At least 45 journalists were assaulted while reporting, and 11 journalists and their outlets faced a publishing gag, the highest number of prior restraints in one year.

    Published
    Written by
    Kirstin McCudden
  4. Members of the media, many here wearing gas masks with vests labeled “press,” document the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

    Three years on, little justice for press assaulted on Jan. 6

    Three years after the failed attempt to halt the democratic process of counting electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, the Department of Justice has charged more than 1,100 people with criminal activity that day. Yet it has charged only a few of those who committed assaults on journalists, attacked as they covered the rapidly escalating events in Washington, D.C.

    Published
    Written by
    Kirstin McCudden