Last Updated: May 26, 1999
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ASNE on the move
ASNE protests P.R. governor’s harassment of San Juan
paper
ASNE President Sandra Mims Rowe stated has again requested Puerto Rican
Gov. Pedro Rosselló to end his campaign of discrimination and intimidation
against El Nuevo Día. The newspaper is headed by ASNE members Luis
A. Ferré and Maria Luisa Ferré, co-editors.
According to news reports, Rosselló has ordered state agencies
to withhold their advertising from the newspaper, has blocked access to
their reporters of public information files, as well as using other harassing
tactics since the paper printed a critical story on the governor’s first
100 days in office.
Rowe wrote Gov. Rosselló in part:
Punishing journalists or news media by withdrawal of government advertising,
limiting access to public documents and other discriminatory treatment
undermines Puerto Rico’s long and admirable tradition of freedom of the
press. The use of objective criteria such as circulation is the only acceptable
method of distributing government resources such as advertising. Granting
or withdrawing government advertising or other privileges to reward or
punish the media or individual journalists is a clear violation of free
expression and the press.
