In response to Trump’s fake news awards, CPJ announces Press Oppressors awards

NEW YORK, Jan 9 (APP):The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has ranked President Donald Trump as the world’s top
‘press oppressor,’ naming him winner of the groups “Overall Achievement in Undermining Global Press
Freedom award in response to his upcoming ‘Fake News Awards.’
“Amid the public discourse of fake news and President Trump’s announcement via Twitter about his
planned ‘fake news’ awards ceremony, CPJ is recognizing world leaders who have gone out of their
way to attack the press and undermine the norms that support freedom of the media,” a statement
on CPJ’s website said.
Trump at the beginning of the year tweeted he would be giving out awards for the “most dishonest &
corrupt media” of the year January 8., but recently changed the date to January 17.
On Trump, CPJ wrote, “While previous U.S. presidents have each criticized the press to some
degree, they have also made public commitments to uphold its essential role in democracy, at home
and abroad.”
By contrast, Trump, it said, has consistently undermined domestic news outlets and declined to
publicly raise freedom of the press with repressive leaders around the world.
Trump was also named the runner-up in the ‘Most Thin-skinned’ category.
“He regularly attacks outlets and individual journalists on Twitter and in speeches, calling
them ‘sad,’ failing’ or ‘garbage’ – the committee wrote of Trump. “Since declaring his presidential
candidacy in 2015, Trump has posted about 1,000 tweets critical of the press.”
Trump has consistently attacked the media since the early days of his campaign, regularly calling
reports about him and his administration ‘fake news.’