‘If we’re not there, who is?’ AP’s top editor on the importance of free press, independent journalism

1.0The Associated Presshttps://www.ap.org‘If we’re not there, who is?’ AP’s top editor on the importance of free press, independent journalism | The Associated Pressrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="5Xvl0MD39p"><a href="https://www.ap.org/the-definitive-source/speaker-spotlights/if-were-not-there-who-is-aps-top-editor-on-the-importance-of-free-press-independent-journalism/">‘If we’re not there, who is?’ AP’s top editor on the importance of free press, independent journalism</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.ap.org/the-definitive-source/speaker-spotlights/if-were-not-there-who-is-aps-top-editor-on-the-importance-of-free-press-independent-journalism/embed/#?secret=5Xvl0MD39p" width="600" height="338" title="“‘If we’re not there, who is?’ AP’s top editor on the importance of free press, independent journalism” — The Associated Press" data-secret="5Xvl0MD39p" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); </script> https://www.ap.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54625668101_38326e00d0_o-scaled.jpg17072560During a panel discussion at the Aspen Ideas Festival on Monday, Executive Editor Julie Pace discussed the essential role of a free and independent press