STATE OF THE FREE PRESS 2022: The News That Didn’t Make the News—And Why

As the United States grapples with its legacy of systemic racism, the ongoing pandemic, and partisan threats to the foundations of democracy, the integrity of news has never been more important.

State of the Free Press 2022 covers this past year’s best independent journalism, centering voices and topics marginalized by the establishment press. From investigative reports on prescription drug costs becoming a leading cause of death in the United States and racial bias in police use of dogs, to a historic wave of wildcat strikes, and microplastic contamination of seafood, during 2020–2021 independent journalists and news outlets provided vital reporting on fundamental public issues that corporate news media either marginalized or buried.

Applying the critical media literacy tools Project Censored has championed since 1976, State of the Free Press 2022 exposes how the corporate media’s focus on “humilitainment” and “false balance” leads to slanted news, info-free clickbait, and censorship.

The book’s diverse contributors deconstruct today’s corporate news as a form of propaganda that caters to elite prejudices and interests. Balancing critical analysis with optimistic vision, State of the Free Press 2022 advances remedies for a more robust free press and provides inspiring models for grassroots engagement.

Advance Praise for State of the Free Press 2022

“We need more of the kind of journalism you’ll find in this book.”

—DANIELLE MCLEAN, chair, Ethics Committee, Society of Professional Journalists, from the foreword to State of the Free Press 2022

“Project Censored highlights stories of incredible importance and staunchly defends press freedom. State of the Free Press 2022 is vital in light of unprecedented attacks on journalists in the past year. It’s an eye-opening volume every American should read.”

–TREVOR TIMM, executive director, Freedom of the Press Foundation

“Project Censored is a voice of sanity in our upside-down media landscape. State of the Free Press 2022 is a must read for all who value a free and open society.”

–ALAN MACLEOD, journalist, editor of Propaganda in the Information Age