We are excited to announce the screening of BAD PRESS, a timely and unprecedented story about the battle for freedom of the press and against state-censored media that just had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
The documentary will be screened starting at noon on March 23, during the New England Newspaper Convention. Registration is open now for the convention, which allows access to all the educational sessions on March 22 and March 23. Use the links below to navigate to the information about the event.
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BAD PRESS is an enthralling, edge-of-your-seat nail biter that unfurls with the energy and suspense of a political thriller. Imagine you lived in a world where your only reliable news source became government propaganda overnight. That’s exactly what happened to the citizens of the Muscogee Nation, the fourth largest Native American tribe, in 2018.
Out of 574 federally-recognized tribes, the Muscogee Nation was one of only five to establish a free and independent press – until the tribe’s legislative branch abruptly repealed the landmark Free Press Act in advance of an election. The tribe’s hard-hitting news outlet, Mvskoke Media, would now be subject to direct editorial oversight by the tribal government.
One defiant journalist refuses to accept this flagrant act of oppression. As brave as she is blunt, veracious muckraker Angel Ellis charges headfirst into battle against the corrupt faction of the Muscogee National Council. Angel and her allies rally for press freedoms by inciting a voter-supported constitutional amendment, just in time for the start of a new election cycle.