LINCOLN- A North Omaha based news website was declined press credentials for Gov. Pete Ricketts' press briefings. North Omaha Information Support Everyone, NOISE, is a nonprofit news website that aims to fill a void in coverage of Omaha's minority communities. This past week, when a NOISE reporter showed up to the weekly news briefing by Governor Ricketts, she was barred from entering. She had been asking how to get credentials for weeks and never received an answer from the governor's office.

Taylor Gage, the governor's media coordinator, said in a statement that “NOISE is an advocacy organization funded by liberal donors,” and went on to say that because it is not a mainstream media outlet, they traditionally would not receive press credentials. The founder of NOISE said they strive to advocate for information to be shared to people and if that makes them an advocacy group then so be it.

“They advocate in the sense that they are trying to amplify voices and viewpoints that aren’t normally heard,” Carol Zuegner, Associate Professor of Journalism at Creighton University said.

NOISE has enlisted the help of the ACLU and the American Journalism Project to receive more information as to why they were barred.

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