When a city government uses the courts to silence a newspaper, it’s not just an attack on one publication—it’s an attack on press freedom itself. That’s exactly what happened in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where a judge ordered the Clarksdale Press Register to remove an editorial questioning the transparency of a proposed tax initiative. The ruling, widely condemned as an egregious violation of the First Amendment, has ignited national concern among journalists and legal experts. In this exclusive conversation, E&P Reports dives into the case with publisher Wyatt Emmerich and press freedom advocate Seth Stern to explore what this means for the future of local journalism—and why every newsroom should be paying attention.

 

Access more (including actual censored editorial, Complaint and Restraining Order) at this episode’s landing page, at: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/what-happens-when-a-city-silences-a-newspaper-an-inside-look-at-the-clarksdale-censorship-case,254442