Business Insider and Politico editorial staffers have written a letter of protest regarding parent company Axel Springer giving an award to billionaire Peter Thiel, write Oliver Darcy and Natalie Korach of Status.
Darcy and Korach write, “On Tuesday, more than 120 staffers from POLITICO and Business Insider—across both the U.S. and European workforces—dispatched a letter to Döpfner objecting to Axel Springer’s honoring of Thiel, citing his ‘documented history of financing initiatives that undermine freedom of the press.’ The letter, the first joint effort between POLITICO and Business Insider employees, pointed to Thiel’s lawsuit that led to the destruction of Gawker, as well as his funding for the aforementioned A.I. ranking website, according to a copy obtained by Status.
“‘These actions are antithetical to Axel Springer’s own commitment to freedom as stated on our corporate website,’ the staffers wrote in the letter, referencing the company’s ‘What Defines Us’ page, which states, ‘At Axel Springer, freedom is not just a value; it is our guiding principle.’
“‘As the journalists and workers at Business Insider and POLITICO’s U.S. and global bureaus, we believe Axel Springer should stand for press freedom, not cozy up to those who attack the freedom of the press,’ the staffers added. ‘Democracy depends on journalists being able to do their work without intimidation and threats from the wealthy and powerful.'”
Read more here.
