What happens when a city silences a newspaper?

February 25, 2025 | Source: Monroe Gallery of Photography

 Via Editor & Publisher


What happens when a city silences a newspaper? An inside look at the Clarksdale censorship case


In a shocking move that has sent ripples through the journalism and legal communities, a Mississippi judge ordered The Clarksdale Press Register to remove an editorial from its website. The piece, which criticized the lack of transparency surrounding a proposed tax initiative, was deemed defamatory by the city’s legal team — leading to an unprecedented ruling that effectively silenced the newspaper. The case raises serious First Amendment concerns, drawing national attention from press freedom advocates who warn of its dangerous implications.

In a recent episode of E&P Reports, E&P Magazine Publisher Mike Blinder sat down with The Clarksdale Press Register owner Wyatt Emmerich and Freedom of the Press Foundation Director of Advocacy Seth Stern to examine the case and its broader impact. They explored what this ruling means for press freedom, the precedent it could set, and why small newspapers must be vigilant in the face of government overreach. --click for full article

UPDATE February 25, 2025: Mississippi city drops lawsuit over newspaper editorial that judge ordered removed
 Mississippi city dropped its lawsuit Monday against a newspaper that had its editorial criticizing local leaders removed by a judge in a case that sparked widespread outrage from First Amendment advocates.

Tags: censorship First Amendment free press freedom of the press journalism newspapers