Pentagon orders shutdown of Stars and Stripes newspaper

[Editor]

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has ordered the military's independent newspaper, Stars and Stripes, to cease publication at the end of the month, despite Congressional efforts to continue funding the century-old publication.

The order to halt publication by Sept. 30, and dissolve the organization by the end of January, is the latest salvo in the Pentagon's move earlier this year to cut the $15.5 million in funding for the paper from the department's budget. And it is a reflection of the Trump administration's broader animosity for the media and members of the press.

Members of Congress have objected to the defunding move for months.

Pentagon orders shutdown of Stars and Stripes newspaper

Members of Congress have objected to the defunding move for months.

www.politico.com

and this is Stars and Stripes:

Stripes

U.S. military news organization providing independent news and information to the military community across the globe.

www.stripes.com

 

[Editor]

One Opinion:

The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason

Trump wants to pull funding from Stars and Stripes, a newspaper for American troops that began in the Civil War and has been serving our soldiers.

Kathy Kiely
Opinion contributor

Even for those of us who are all too wearily familiar with President Donald Trump’s disdain for journalists, his administration’s latest attack on the free press is a bit of a jaw-dropper.

The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason

Trump wants to pull funding from Stars and Stripes, a newspaper for American troops that began in the Civil War and has been serving our soldiers.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Monello]

While overseas, the S&S was our link to news from home.

 

[Editor]

Another Opinion:

In an Environment of News Layoffs and Closures, Outrageous to Shutter Stars and Stripes​

WASHINGTON, DC – The following is a statement from Laura Bassett, former Senior Politics Reporter for HuffPost, and co-founder of the Save Journalism Project regarding the Department of Defense’s plans to shutter Stars and Stripes, a military news outlet serving readers across the globe first published by Union soldiers during the Civil War:

This is totally unnecessary and absurd. The 159-year old newspaper is a critical part of the press in the United States. It has served as an informational lifeline to America’s soldiers, veterans, and general public for hundreds of years and continues that duty to this day.

The shuttering of Stars and Stripes, a publication that informs people and soldiers around the globe, would be another devastating blow to the news industry. In a world where news publishers are already struggling to stay afloat amid a global pandemic and Big Tech’s stranglehold over ad revenue, it would be irresponsible for the government to close Stars and Stripes. It’s even more outrageous to claim to shut it down to reduce spending when the Trump administration frequently brags about billions of funding increases for the military. The cost to operate the Stars and Stripes is pocket change in the context of the DOD budget. The free press is facing multiple crises on various fronts. At this precise moment, it’s extremely concerning that an iconic pillar of American journalism is set to be closed for no other reason than the antipathy of the current government to the press. We have enough battles, we shouldn’t have to fight our own government too.

Journalism in America is facing an existential threat from the monopolistic control of tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Apple. Big tech’s dominance over the digital advertising market and their unrivaled capacity to monetize its platforms are having drastic effects on journalism as a whole.

https://savejournalism.org/

Follow the Save Journalism Project on Twitter.​