Freedom of the press — a cornerstone of the Constitution — is facing what many see as a five-alarm moment for American democracy. Legal threats against major news organizations, political intimidation, and accelerating media consolidation are raising urgent questions about whether First Amendment protections are being steadily weakened.Recent upheaval at The Washington Post has become a flashpoint in this debate. Just two years ago, owner Jeff Bezos publicly honored Post journalists covering the war in Ukraine, praising truth-telling in the tradition of Ida B. Wells. Yet many of those same reporters were later swept up in sweeping layoffs.
According to Martin (Marty) Baron, a pivotal shift followed the 2024 election cycle, when a planned endorsement was abruptly killed, triggering a mass subscriber exodus and intensifying concerns that political pressure and ownership priorities were reshaping the paper’s direction.
Few voices are more qualified to confront these challenges than Baron, former Executive Editor of The Boston Globe and The Washington Post. As Executive Editor of the Boston Globe, his “Spotlight” team broke the story of the Catholic priest sex abuse scandal leading to revelations of abuse around the world. The story became Spotlight, the 2015 Academy Award winning movie with Liev Schreiber playing Martin Baron.
In this conversation, Baron will explore what happens when power, politics, and profit collide — and what it will take to defend a free press and preserve an informed American public.
Register today to join our next lunch on March 17, 2026 at the Sarasota Yacht Club for lunch from 11:30am-1:30pm.
Event Venue
Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34236-1512, United States
Tickets
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