Native American Press
- Artist/Author/Producer: Journalists
- Confronting Bodies: Tribal Government
- Dates of action: 1987
- Location: Native American Reservations - USA
- Description of the Art Work
- Any journalist writing for any weekly/monthly newspapers or
newsletters published on Indian reservations throughout the US and Canada
which make up the Native American Press Association.
- Description of incident
- Of the some 75 NAPA publications, only one - the Lakota Times in
Martin, SC - was an independent newspaper. According to Tim Giago, NAPA
president and publisher of the 'Lakota Times,' "other papers are owned by
the reservations, which are federally funded." Despite Giago's assertion
that many reservation editors are formally trained in journalism, he also
states that the newspapers are, "run by people who have no newspaper
experience, yet their words are law. If a story upsets the tribal
council, it's often deleted. The newspaper is expected to be a
propaganda tool for the tribal administration." Regardless of 'Lakota
Time's' independent status, Giago has still had his "car fire bombed and
windows shot out of his office because of stories that apparently
displeased the tribal members." Journalists and editors at other
newspapers have expressed the necessity of self-censorship to avoid
council confrontations, or have revealed that stories must be approved by
the tribal council before publication. Furthermore, "tribal councils are
often difficult to cover because they frequently meet in closed sessions,
which are immune from state open meeting laws. If a controversial issue
is involved, they are likely to keep the public and the press out." In
support of council control, one newspaper president stated that, "the
Native American press must be careful not to take freedom of the press to
its extreme by overemphasizing events that reflect negatively on tribal
governments. Tribal governments can be held hostage by such negative
reporting by their own news media. Rather, the Indian news media should
seek to treat the activities of tribal governments fairly and to promote
their positive activities."
- Results of incident
- Some journalists have experienced a loosening of council control,
requiring approval only on "sensitive" topics. Twelve new independent
newspapers are expected to emerge within three years.
Source: "Editor & Publisher"