GEOFF BENNETT: The day after# the presidential election,## the nonprofit Committee to Protect# Journalists issued a statement warning## of a potentially hostile climate for# press freedom under a second Trump term.

It read in part: "Legal persecution,# imprisonment, physical violence,## and even killings have, sadly, become# familiar threats for journalists across## the world.

They must not now also become# commonplace in the United States, where## threats of violence and online harassment# have in recent years become routine."

That's as advocates are urging Senate# lawmakers to pass a bipartisan bill## that would protect journalists from# government spying and other interference.

Jodie Ginsberg is the CEO of the Committee# to Protect Journalists and joins us now.

Thanks for being here.

JODIE GINSBERG, CEO, Committee to.. GEOFF BENNETT: So, your organization# and others have .. what Trump's second term could mean# for press freedoms.

What are your## specific worries and what have you# seen already that gives you pause?

JODIE GINSBERG: I think we need to think about two## things specifically about# a new Trump administration.

The first is around legal threats and the second## is around regulation.

There are# many others that we can talk about,## but those are the ones I think we really need# to be alive to in the second administration.

Already, in the days leading up to the election,## Trump issued a host of legal threats against# organizations like The New York Times, CBS,## and others.

We might expect that -- to see that# -- more of that in the new Trump administration,## personal legal cases.

He's suing, I think, The# New York Times and CBS for $10 billion each.

Personal legal threats, but also# potentially challenges to pieces## of legislation that have for decades# protected the press against vexatious## lawsuits like the Supreme Court case Sullivan# v. New York Times, which allows the press to## publish public interest information and be# protected from being sued for defamation.

GEOFF BENNETT: I want to ask you about a# more recent piece of legislation.

This is## the PRESS Act, which is designed# to protect journalists from being## surveilled by federal law enforcement and# it would limit the government's ability## to make journalists disclose their# sources, among other protections.

This bill had bipartisan support in the# House.

Time is now running out for it to## be passed in the Senate.

Why is this piece# of legislation, in your view, so critical?

JODIE GINSBERG: It's really urgent# that we pass this federal shield law.

So, some states have these federal protections,## which essentially means that journalists'# information, journalists' sources can't be## subpoenaed.

Information from whistle-blowers# can't be subpoenaed.

It's really important## that we have that federal shield law to# protect journalists at the federal level.

We know that Trump is interested# in going after whistle-blowers,## people who leak.

And it's absolutely# essential that they are protected and## that journalists' sources are protected and# that journalists are allowed to do their job.

GEOFF BENNETT: At the same time, I think it's fair## to say that journalists and journalism# could benefit from some .. And I say that because the percentage# of Americans who say they have a great## deal or a fair amount of trust in the# mass media has fallen to a record low,## according to a new Gallup survey, to 31# percent.

And there are people who say## that Trump's decisive win really just is# a complete repudiation of the news media.

How do you see it and how can# the news media rebuild trust?

JODIE GINSBERG: I think the news media# can rebuild trust by continuing to do## what journalism does, which is to publish# news and information in the public interest.

And while it's true that there has been# this drop-off in trust at national level,## people remain highly trusting of their local# media, which often has the most impact.

If you## think about it, the information that's provided# to you by your local radio station, your local## TV station about what's happening in your local# schools, what's happening on your local roads,## what's happening in the local health care# system, those are absolutely essential.

Those are the areas that have been# totally hollowed out financially in## recent years.

We're seeing so-called news# deserts pop up across the United States,## which means, effectively, we have no independent# journalists able to hold people to account,## able to hold local administrations to account for# spending of people's tax dollars, for example.

So, to rebuild trust, we have to continue# to invest in that local journalism,## because people do trust# that and people rely on it.

GEOFF BENNETT: Finally, I want to# ask you about the dramatic rise## in violence and risks facing# journalists around the globe.

A CPJ report says at least 137 journalists# and media workers have been killed in Gaza,## the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon since# the war started, making it the deadliest## period for journalists since the CPJ# began gathering data back in 1992.

In addition to just the tragic loss of life,## what's the material impact of this# deadly atmosphere for journalists?

JODIE GINSBERG: Well, the material# impact is, it's harder and harder to## get information out of Gaza about what's# happening, about the impact of the war.

There's almost no independent journalists# now able to operate freely in Northern Gaza,## where we know that there has been this program# of forced removals of Gazans, what other## organizations are calling ethnic cleansing, many# human rights organizations are calling genocide.

We don't have the journalists in numbers there to# provide the information about what's happening.## That's why we need journalists.

So the impact# of this high level of killings, coupled with## journalists being repeatedly displaced, facing# food shortages, fuel shortages, communications## challenges, is seriously undermining our ability# to understand what's happening inside Gaza.

GEOFF BENNETT: Jodie Ginsberg with# the Committee to Protect Journalists,## thanks for being here.

Appreciate it.