Reporters from the Associated Press (AP) news agency penned an open letter outlining their grievances with the organization's firing of Emily Wilder, whose departure, they believe, was mishandled, Kat Stafford, a writer and correspondent with the AP announced on Twitter on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2021) Reporters from the Associated Press (AP) news agency penned an open letter outlining their grievances with the organization's firing of Emily Wilder, whose departure, they believe, was mishandled, Kat Stafford, a writer and correspondent with the AP announced on Twitter on Monday.
"As employees of The Associated Press, at all levels and across the globe, we strongly believe in our organization's stated commitment to fairness and advancing the power of facts. Journalists demand transparency from the subjects of our reporting and seek to hold the powerful accountable. That's why we strongly disapprove of the way the AP has handled the firing of Emily Wilder and its dayslong (sic) silence internally," the letter says.
The letter demands clarity about the circumstances surrounding Wilder's departure, in particular, about the disciplinary process and which of her social media posts warranted termination. Safford added that any and all AP journalists are able to sign the letter in support.
Additionally, the letter also calls for a forum to discuss what AP recommends as best practices for social media, as well as a commitment from the organization to support its journalists who face online harassment campaigns.
Wilder, who joined AP as a news associate in Phoenix back in April, was abruptly fired last week after online conservatives resurfaced old tweets featuring pro-Palestinian views and activism while in university. During that time, she was a leader in Stanford's 'Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine', an organization that some allege has ties to Hamas affiliates.
