Journalist Sarah Olson Wins Victory for Free Speech

Share this

Helen Zia, author and board member of the Women’s Media Center, writes about Sarah Olson's victory: "Subpoenas against journalists may be intended to put a damper on their reporting, but in Olson’s case, the overwhelming response has been an outpouring of support for her stand on free speech—for both journalists and for voices of dissent. Such principles brought Olson, a freelancer without the deep pockets of a large news organization, the pro bono legal services of First Amendment Center, the early support of PEN America, the Society of Professional Journalists, and other groups. She garnered broad support from journalists and celebrities at the National Conference for Media Reform in mid-January—and aid from the Center for Media and Democracy, which quickly put up an impressive website for Olson pro bono, complete with an online petition and support boxes. ... Though the subpoena has been dropped, Olson has no intention of slowing her work on behalf of free speech and the First Amendment.”