Exactly one year ago this week, Newport’s unqualified City Manager, Colin Kennedy, tried to do what every thin-skinned bureaucrat dreams of: silence his critics. In a petty act of political retribution, he attempted to ban Newport Buzz — the city’s most-read news outlet, with over 3 million monthly readers — from receiving City of Newport communications because we kept exposing his failures and those of former Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong.
This wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was a calculated effort to muzzle independent journalism and control the narrative.
Kennedy’s own words said it all. He only wanted city updates going to “reputable media sources (i.e., not Newport Buzz).” When staff questioned the legality, he coached them to lie — to call it “routine housecleaning.”
Former Councilor Mark Aramli, who flamed out after one term, piled on, calling Newport Buzz “a disgusting online tabloid.” The irony? His political career crashed harder than any headline we’ve ever written.
The ACLU of Rhode Island swiftly condemned the move as unconstitutional. Executive Director Steven Brown put it plainly: “While city officials may disapprove of this website’s style or manner of reporting, the First Amendment ensures Newport Buzz cannot be singled out because it may sting officials in ways they deem offensive.”
Here’s the punchline: the outlet Kennedy dismissed as “not reputable” just spent the week reporting from the White House briefing room.
That’s right — Newport Buzz is credentialed at The White House, covering national briefings and President Trump. Not a single other Rhode Island outlet was there.
They tried to silence us. They failed.
And the underdog just made it to the White House.
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