Ep. 271: Minecraft, censorship, and threats to press freedom with Clayton Weimers

Editorial note: This conversation was recorded on Friday, April 24, the day before the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Both Nico and Clayton attended the event, where a gunman breached security and opened fire before being apprehended. No one was seriously injured, but the incident serves as a reminder of the threats reporters can face in the course of their work. Since we recorded the conversation before the shooting, Nico and Clayton do not address it, but the incident underscores the stakes of their discussion. — In 2020, Reporters Without Borders launched the Uncensored Library, a virtual archive housed inside Minecraft, the world's most popular computer game. It preserves the work of journalists who have faced censorship, imprisonment, exile, or even death. In countries where their reporting is banned, Minecraft itself is not, making the library a digital sanctuary for suppressed journalism that millions can still access. In March 2026, the project added a United States wing, reminding Americans that subtler, less direct threats to a free press happen everywhere – even at home. With today's release of the 2026 World Press Freedom Index and World Press Freedom Day approaching on May 3, we're unpacking the state of press freedom with Clayton Weimers, the executive director of Reporters Without Borders USA. Download The Uncensored Library here.   Timestamps:  00:00 Intro   04:41 The state of press freedom in the United States 10:51 Trump administration's threats to press freedom 14:16 Patel v. The Atlantic and actual malice 22:55 Who is to blame for distrust in media? 27:58 Viewpoint diversity in the newsroom 32:15 The modern media ecosystem 40:27 What is RSF? 47:00 Freelance and independent journalism 49:11 Clayton's background and more on Reporters Without Borders 51:25 Inside the Uncensored Library  01:01:59 Outro Read the transcript here.  Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more.  If you became a FIRE Member through a donation to FIRE at thefire.org and would like access to Substack's paid subscriber podcast feed, please email [email protected].