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ASNE protests Puerto Rican governor’s continuing harassment of San Juan newspaper
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 11/19/1997 16:54:00
- In: Freedom of the press
RESTON, Va. The American Society of Newspaper Editors has again requested Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Rosselló to end his campaign of discrimination and intimidation against El Nuevo Día.
RESTON, Va. The American Society of Newspaper Editors has again requested Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Rosselló to end his campaign of discrimination and intimidation against El Nuevo Día.
According to news reports, Gov. Rosselló has ordered state agencies to withhold their advertising from the newspaper, has blocked access to their reporters of public information files, as well as using other harassing tactics since the paper printed a critical story on the governor’s first 100 days in office.
In a letter to Rosselló, ASNE President Sandra Mims Rowe stated:
Representing the 850 directing editors of America's leading daily newspapers, I again insist that you halt immediately your policy of coercion and harassment of El Nuevo Día.
Punishing journalists or news media by withdrawal of government advertising, limiting access to public documents and other discriminatory treatment undermines Puerto Rico's long and admirable tradition of freedom of the press. The use of objective criteria such as circulation is the only acceptable method of distributing government resources such as advertising. Granting or withdrawing government advertising or other privileges to reward or punish the media or individual journalists is a clear violation of free expression and the press.
We join the Inter American Press Association in its recent condemnation of your harassment of El Nuevo Día and again petition you, in the name of press freedom, to end your discriminatory practices.
Rowe is editor of The Oregonian, Portland. Founded in 1922, ASNE is an organization of the main editors of daily newspapers in the United States and Canada. There are currently 850 members.