The War On News

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

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

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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