Question Everything Pounding Beers in a Shed, and Other Dispatches from the War on Free Speech
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Apr 25, 2025 
Hamza Syed, an investigative reporter known for his work with Brian Reed on projects for Serial and The New York Times, dives into the alarming legal attacks targeting journalists. He highlights the stark differences in press freedoms between the U.K. and U.S., illustrating how such threats can stifle local journalism. Hamza shares eye-opening cases, including a small-town reporter facing serious defamation lawsuits. Together, they discuss the psychological toll on journalists and the strategic use of frivolous suits to silence the press.
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Legal Pressure Targets Local News
- Powerful people are deliberately using legal pressure to chill local journalism across the U.S..
- These attacks often succeed by exhausting reporters and outlets, not by winning in court.
Carroll Reporter Pounded By Lawsuit
- Jared Strong at the Carroll Times-Herald exposed a cop's affair and faced a lawsuit and public smearing campaign.
- The legal fight devastated him personally and financially even though the paper ultimately won.
Reporter Drinking In A Shed
- Jared Strong handled the legal attack by drinking heavily and isolating in his shed while the smear campaign played on the radio.
- Despite winning the suit and the paper proving accuracy, the toll forced the owner to sell the family paper.
