diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Entity/NewsItem.php b/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Entity/NewsItem.php
index 7acf2de86..78ca5bcf2 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Entity/NewsItem.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Entity/NewsItem.php
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class NewsItem implements TrackCreationInterface, TrackUpdateInterface
     private string $content = '';
 
     #[Assert\NotNull]
+    #[Assert\GreaterThanOrEqual('today')]
     #[Groups(['read'])]
     #[ORM\Column(type: \Doctrine\DBAL\Types\Types::DATE_IMMUTABLE, nullable: false)]
     private ?\DateTimeImmutable $startDate = null;
diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Form/NewsItemType.php b/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Form/NewsItemType.php
index b6a93a0a0..6fe513055 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Form/NewsItemType.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Form/NewsItemType.php
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class NewsItemType extends AbstractType
             ])
             ->add('content', ChillTextareaType::class, [
                 'required' => false,
+                'empty_data' => '',
             ])
             ->add(
                 'startDate',