Editing Stars and Stripes (newspaper) (section)

=== Modern era ===
[[File:US Navy 030404-M-0000D-001 Command Sgt. Maj. John Sparks, delivers copies of Stars and Stripes to U.S. Marines from Weapons Platoon, 3-2 India Company.jpg|thumb|left|''Stars and Stripes '' being delivered to US troops, 2003]]
Funding and relevance in the [[Digital Age|digital age]] have threatened the paper's budget. In 2013, the paper faced job cuts, printing-schedule changes, a pay-raise freeze and travel limitations for staff under the [[United States budget sequestration in 2013|Federal budget sequestration]].<ref name="MT 2017-08-08">{{Cite news |last=Oprihory |first=Jennifer-Leigh |date=2017-08-08 |title=Pentagon funding cuts may silence Stars and Stripes |language=en-US |work=Military Times |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2016/04/26/pentagon-funding-cuts-may-silence-stars-and-stripes/ |access-date=2020-09-08}}</ref> The print newspapers provide the news back home to service members who are [[United States military deployments|forward-deployed]] in areas lacking reliable internet access. Coverage of pay and benefits is of direct concern to service members and their families along with life on base and in the field.{{r|WP 2020/06/18}} The paper helps them be better-informed citizens about global [[geopolitics]].{{r|MT 2017-08-08}} Budget cuts by [[the Pentagon]] were again considered in 2016.{{r|CNN 2020-2-10}}

The ''Wall Street Journal'' reported in February 2020, that a draft budget would reduce the newspaper's federal support in 2021 under a $5 billion shift to higher priorities in the defense budget.{{r|CNN 2020-2-10}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lubold |first=Gordon |date=February 14, 2020 |title=Military newspaper Stars and Stripes set to lose half its funding as Pentagon shifts budget priorities |language=en-US |work=[[MarketWatch]] |agency=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/military-newspaper-stars-and-stripes-set-to-lose-half-its-funding-as-pentagon-shifts-budget-priorities-2020-02-14 |access-date=2020-09-08}}</ref> Deputy Under Secretary of Defense [[Elaine McCusker]] indicated its funding would be cut and said: "We have essentially decided that, you know, kind of coming into the modern age that newspaper is probably not the best way that we communicate any longer."{{r|CNN 2020-2-10}} The subsidy is more than $15 million a year, which represents approximately half the publication's budget and roughly 0.002 percent of the Department of Defense budget, which was $721,500 million in 2020. It was described by the ''Stars and Stripes'' ombudsman as "a fatal cut".<ref name="WP 2020/06/18">{{Cite news |last=Vyse |first=Graham |date=June 22, 2020 |title=The Stars and Stripes newspaper has long supported the troops. Now it needs Congress's support. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/the-stars-and-stripes-newspaper-has-long-supported-the-troops-now-it-needs-congresss-support/2020/06/18/10046b92-8982-11ea-8ac1-bfb250876b7a_story.html |access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref> In September, Defense Secretary [[Mark Esper]] justified the decision to discontinue publication of the paper as a result of his department-wide budget review.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 4, 2020 |title=Pentagon orders shutdown of Stars and Stripes newspaper |language=en |work=[[Politico]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/04/pentagon-halts-stars-and-stripes-newspaper-408945 |access-date=2020-09-08}}</ref> An order for the newspaper to shutter was issued, specifically by presenting a plan for it to dissolve by September 15,'''&nbsp;'''including "specific timeline for vacating government owned/leased space worldwide" and to end publication by September 30, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kiely |first=Kathy |title=The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason |language=en-US |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/09/04/trump-and-stars-and-stripes-attacking-american-icon-column/5706859002/ |access-date=2020-09-04}}</ref> Senator [[Dianne Feinstein]] (D-CA) led a bipartisan group opposed to the move, including [[Tammy Duckworth]] (D-IL), a veteran, and [[Susan Collins]] (R-ME).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wise |first=Justin |date=2 September 2020 |title=Senators call on Pentagon to reinstate funding for Stars and Stripes newspaper |language=en |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/514851-senators-call-on-pentagon-to-reinstate-funding-for-independent-stars-and |access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref> On September 4, US president [[Donald Trump]] appeared to reverse this position by tweeting that funding would not be cut.{{r|TG 2020-09-04}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 11, 2020 |title=Pentagon rescinding order to shutter Stars and Stripes newspaper |language=en-US |work=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pentagon-rescinding-order-to-shutter-stars-and-stripes-newspaper/ |access-date=2020-09-11}}</ref> On September 30 the order to close was rescinded.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Regan Mertz |date=20 November 2020 |title=After 159 years, Stars and Stripes is fighting for its future |work=Global Journalist |url=https://globaljournalist.org/2020/11/stars_stripes_future/}}</ref>