Public Radio Station Forced to Call Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America”
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is rolling over to Trump and his acolytes in the state, rather than stand up for editorial independence. The post Public Radio Station Forced to Call Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” appeared first on The Intercept .
In a controversial move, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is now forcing public radio station WBHM to use the term "Gulf of America" instead of the conventional "Gulf of Mexico" in its reporting. The decision comes after Alabama passed a bill in March requiring all state and local entities to use the new terminology. The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. David Standridge, was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey, a Trump ally.
While the bill does not specify penalties for non-compliance, its sponsor called it a "patriotic statement."
WBHM, a Birmingham public radio station operated by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has faced criticism from various journalistic institutions, including NPR and The Associated Press, which publish the style guide used by many newsrooms. The station's executive director, Will Dahlberg, announced his resignation in response to the university's directive, citing disciplinary action or termination of employees and the impact on WBHM's relationship with the university.
Dahlberg emphasized that the university should not expect to influence WBHM's journalists or editorial process, as the Journalism Code of Integrity stresses the newsroom's independence. The university could have chosen to stand up for journalists and the First Amendment, but instead, it opted to comply with a toothless law, exacerbating the situation.
The station's decision to implement the new language puts it at odds with NPR and other journalistic institutions, highlighting the ongoing struggle for press freedom in the face of political interference.
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