A reporter fired by Indian Country Today says the newspaper's non-Indian editors are censoring pro-Indian stories.

Brenda Norrell, a longtime writer for the paper, said stories about the heritage of former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado), the Bush administration, tribal corruption and environmental racism were held back or edited. She said one "non-Indian" editor told her to stop writing articles about the genocide of Native people.

"I hope people will question ICT hiring non-Indian managing editors with no prior experience in Indian issues or Indian country, and little experience in journalism," she writes in an e-mail posted by George Joe of Rez Biz Magazine. "The managing editors are the ones actually in the New York ICT office, chosing content and putting the paper out. For years there has been a series of non-Indian managing editors with no prior experience in Indian country. The censorship and errors have increased."

Norrell is non-Indian but has earned praise for her work among tribes in New Mexico and Arizona. She believes her firing, her second from the paper, may have been linked to her gender.

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Reporter fired by Indian Country TODAY (George Joe of Rez Biz Magazine 9/28)

Relevant Links:
Indian Country Today - http://www.indiancountry.com