(Image source from: timesofislamabad.com)

"The dirty war on the free press must end." - the thought behind the peculiar editorial-writing initiatory that has enlisted dozens of newspapers across America.

The Boston Globe has been interacting with newspaper editorial boards and proposing a "coordinated response" to President Trump's intensifying "enemy of the people" rhetoric.

"We propose to publish an editorial on August 16 on the dangers of the administration's assault on the press and ask others to commit to publishing their own editorials on the same date," The Globe said in its pitch to fellow papers.

The attempt commenced just a few days ago.

As of Saturday, "we have more than 100 publications signed up, and I expect that number to grow in the coming days," Marjorie Pritchard, the Globe's deputy editorial page editor, told CNN.

"The response has been overwhelming," Pritchard said. "We have some big newspapers, but the majority are from smaller markets, all enthusiastic about standing up to Trump's assault on journalism."

Rather printing the exact same message, each publication will write its own editorial, Pritchard said.

That was a central part of her pitch: "The impact of Trump's assault on journalism looks different in Boise than it does in Boston," she wrote. "Our words will differ. But at least we can agree that such attacks are alarming."

Journalists have detected an uptick in Trump's attacks against the news media in past weeks. He has been using dehumanizing language like "enemy of the people" more often. He has likewise been speaking to reporters less often, limiting the chances for questions to be asked.

Some media critics have urged the White House press corps, with Trump's words and works as a backdrop, to engage in acts of solidarity.

The coordinated editorials may be another illustration of unity across the news business.

Though there is a longstanding argument over the effectiveness of newspaper editorials, there is surely strength in numbers - the greater the number of participants, the more readers will see the message.

Pritchard said she expects differing views from the editorials, "but the same sentiment: The importance of a free and independent press."

By Sowmya Sangam