Freedom of the press

Template:Current-COTW Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public speech often through a state constitution for its citizens, and associations of individuals extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. It also extends to news gathering, and processes involved in obtaining information for the public consumption.

With respect to governmental information a government distinguishes which materials are public or protected from disclosure to the public based on classification of information as sensitive, classified or secret and being otherwise protected from disclosure due to relevance of the information to protecting the national interest. Many governments are also subject to sunshine laws or Freedom of Information Acts that are used to define the ambit of national interest.

Basic Principles

All citizens should have the right to express themselves in writing or in any other way of expression of personal opinion or creativity. Under this law, freedom of scientific research, publishing, press and printing are ensured within the scope specified by law. Many people apparently misunderstand and think that he right to freedom of the press guaranteed by the first amendment is very different from the right to freedom of speech. They are very similar. It allows an individual to express themselves through publication and distribution. It is part of the constitutional protection of freedom of expression. The law does not give the media any special rights that the rest of the people do not have.

Origins in Ancient History

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Modern Application

Freedom of the Press in Democratic Nations

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History

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The first newspapers in the British colonies in North America were published "by authority," that is, under license from and as the mouthpiece of the colonial governors. The first regularly published newpaper was the Boston News-Letter of John Campbell, published weekly beginning in 1704. The early colonial publishers were either postmasters or government printers, and therefore unlikely to challenge government policies.

The first independent newspaper in the colonies was the New-England Courant, published in Boston by James Franklin beginning in 1721. A few years later, Franklin's younger brother, Benjamin, purchased the Pennsylvania Gazette of Philadelphia, which became the leading newspaper of the colonial era.

During this period, newspapers were unlicensed, and able freely to publish dissenting views, but were subject to prosecution for libel or even sedition if their opinions threatened the government. The notion of "freedom of the press" that later was enshrined in the United States Constitution is generally traced to the seditious libel prosecution of John Peter Zenger by the colonial governor of New York in 1735. Zenger was acquitted after his lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, argued to the jury (contary to established English law) that there was no libel in publishing the truth. Yet even after this celebrated case, colonial governors and assemblies asserted the power to prosecute and even imprison printers for publishing unapproved views.

During the American Revolution, a free press was identified by Revolutionary leaders as one of the elements of liberty that they sought to preserve. The Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) proclaimed that "the freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic governments." Similarly, the Constitution of Massachusetts (1780) declared, "The liberty of the press is essential to the security of freedom in a state: it ought not, therefore, to be restrained in this commonwealth."

Notable Violations

To be written.. CAREFUL, USE NPOV FOR ANALYSIS!!! IF YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE ABOUT AN UNPROVEN CONSPIRACY THEORY, STATE THAT IT IS AN UNPROVEN CONSPIRACY THEORY!!!

Freedom of the Press in non-Democratic Nations

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Classical Monarchies

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History

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Dictatorships

Suppression of Freedom of Speech in Nazi Germany

History

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Communist Nations

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History

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Any Other Types of Nations Throughout Modern History?

Use this spot as a template if you can think of any other non-Democratic nation that is relevant to the discussion.

History

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Worldwide press freedom index

Every year, the Reporters Without Borders organization establishes a ranking of countries in terms of the freedom of the press. The list is based on responses to surveys sent to journalists that are members of partner organisations of the RWB, as well as related specialists such as researchers, jurists and human rights activists. The survey asks questions about direct attacks on journalists and the media as well as other indirect sources of pressure against the free press, such as pressure on journalists by non-governmental groups. RWB is careful to note that the index only deals with press freedom, and does not measure the quality of journalism.

In 2003, the countries where press was the most free were Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway.

In 2004, apart from the above countries, Denmark, Ireland, Slovakia, and Switzerland were tied at the top of the list, followed by New Zealand and Latvia. The countries with the least degree of press freedom were ranked with North Korea having the worst, followed by Cuba, Burma, Turkmenistan, Eritrea, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

See also

• Category:Media by country
• Censorship
• U.S.Constitution First Amendment and freedom of the press
• Freedom of speech
• Journalistic Ethics
• Libel
• International Freedom of Expression eXchange — “The largest online archive of information on press freedom violations”, dating back to 1995 and covering more than 120 countries.
• Muckraker
• Prior restraint

External link

• The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
• History of Newspapers By Mitchell Stephens For Collier's Encyclopedia

References

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