Journalists and whistleblowers are under attack, from Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning to freelance journalist Bryan Carmody in San Francisco. When the president of the United States calls journalists “scum” and encourages his supporters to verbally and physically threaten journalists, the right of all journalists to do their work is threatened.
The raid by the San Francisco police of Byran Carmody’s home and office in flagrant violation of the California Shield law is another example that press freedom is a local, national, and international issue.
This forum will look at the issue of who is a journalist and the right of journalists to do their work. Although Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been a member of the Australian MEEA’s Media section since 2007, and this is the trade union that represents Australia media workers, the media, however, continue to argue that he is not a journalist and does not deserve to be protected.
The use of a 1917 US espionage law to target Assange now opens the way to charge all journalists and newspapers that use material from whistleblowers. This is a basic challenge to our freedom and right to information.

Initial Speakers: Steve Zelter, KPFA WorkWeek Radio; Ann Garrison, Black Agenda KPFA; Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle Legal Reporter: John Holmes, Exec. Board member of Peralta Federation of Teachers, and Retired member of PMW Guild; Richard Stone, APWU delegate to SF Labor Council and sponsor of resolution for Julian Assange.
Sponsored by WorkWeek, LaborNet

Click here to watch the presentation.