The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

The record

Incidents in North America, state or province level, outcome reversed

Each incident is a dated action by a government, an official, a regulator, a court or a legislature that limited journalists' ability to gather or publish news.

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
CountryCanada, RSF 2026 rank: 20th of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentNorth America
TacticAccess bans 4Detention and violence 2Prior restraint 2Secrets and espionage laws 1Insult and defamation laws 1Lawsuits against the press 1Funding and ownership pressure 1
StageRestrict 3Pressure 1Punish 2Silence 3
OutcomeReversed 9
LevelState or province 9
Head of governmentBob MartinezDoug DuceyJ. James ExonJohn HorganJohn PattersonOscar K. AllenPrice DanielTheodore ChristiansonTim Walz

9 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
21 July 2023Federal court strikes down Arizona's law banning recording police within 8 feetUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDoug DuceyReversed (21 July 2023)
20 July 2021Court orders RCMP to stop restricting press access at Fairy Creek logging blockadesCanada (RSF 2026 rank: 20th of 180)Access bansJohn HorganReversed (20 July 2021)
29 May 2020Minnesota State Patrol arrests CNN crew live on air in MinneapolisUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Detention and violenceTim WalzReversed (29 May 2020)
21 March 1990United States Supreme Court strikes down Florida law barring a reporter from discussing his own grand jury testimonyUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsBob MartinezReversed (21 March 1990)
27 October 1975United States judge bars the press from reporting a murder suspect's confession before trialUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Prior restraintJ. James ExonReversed (30 June 1976)
24 September 1962United States: Texas judge allows televised pretrial hearing in the Billie Sol Estes case; Supreme Court later limits cameras in criminal courtroomsUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansPrice DanielReversed (7 June 1965)
1960United States: Montgomery, Alabama commissioner sues The New York Times for libel over a civil rights advertisementUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Lawsuits against the pressJohn PattersonReversed (9 March 1964)
12 July 1934United States: Louisiana taxes large newspapers' advertising revenue; the tax is struck down in Grosjean v. American Press Co.United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureOscar K. AllenReversed (10 February 1936)
1927Minnesota closes The Saturday Press in 1927; the Supreme Court strikes down the law in 1931United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Prior restraintTheodore ChristiansonReversed (1 June 1931)
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