ipl-logo

Essay On Freedom Of Press

834 Words4 Pages

Basic Principles and Criteria

In Western democracies freedom of the press implies that all people should have the right to express themselves in writing or in any other way of expression of personal opinion or creativity.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights indicates:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.”

The concept of freedom of the press is often covered by the same laws as freedom of speech, thereby giving equal treatment to media and individuals. This philosophy of freedom is usually accompanied by legislation ensuring various degrees of …show more content…

Other lines of thought later argued in favor of freedom of the press without relying on the controversial (disputed) issue of natural law; for instance, freedom of expression began to be regarded as an essential component of the social contract.

Parallel with the concept of press freedom, the term fourth estate remains for all journalistic activity today. However, the press is not part of the governmental structure; but monitors the other branches (the legislative, the executive and the judiciary) as an external check on behalf of the people.

This impact of the press as a skeptical and critical monitor the other branches of government on behalf of the people is the watchdog role of the press. For this role, mass media have to value its traditional, high standards for accuracy, sourcing and objectivity.

Independence of the Media

The freedom of the press is in fact a matter of a balance between the desire of the authorities to control the media and the ability of the media to resist such attempts.

This balance is closely tied to the independence of the media. So the concept of independence (including economic independence) of the press is one closely linked with the concept of press

Show More
Related

  • 2000 Dbq Essay

    944 Words  | 4 Pages

    To start, the Freedom of the Press is so important in America that it is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. In addition the people of the nation at this time were well educated and well read. This free press, educated society combined with the citizens’ desire to become involved within it meant there was more demand than ever for newspapers. These factors meant that the number of different newspapers in the United States increased from 31 in 1775 to 1,200 in 1835, with the number more than tripling between 1810 and 1835 (Document G).

    Read More

  • Federalist Vs Anti Federalists Dbq Essay

    1529 Words  | 7 Pages

    By the freedom of opinion, cannot be meant the right of thinking merely; for of this right the greatest Tyrant cannot deprive his meanest slave; but it is freedom in the communication of sentiments [by] speech or through the press” (Voices of Freedom, Chapter

    Read More

  • What Are The Immediate Effects Of The Zenger Trial

    705 Words  | 3 Pages

    Without freedom of the press discussions cannot reach a wider audience, debate is obstructed,

    Read More

  • Arguments Against Censorship In America

    232 Words  | 1 Pages

    Censorship in America is often debated. Erin Manning, texas-based writer explains that the American Library Association chooses to censor certain books because of “inappropriate content” and “second rate writing”(Manning 1). Parents attempt to protect their children from the outside world, by limiting their exposure to age appropriate language. When parents do this, their children’s knowledge of the outside world may be limited to what parents let their child view. Although some parents may feel that their child needs filtered information and entertainment, others believe that children and teens need to be shown uncensored content.

    Read More

  • First Amendment The Most Important Essay

    601 Words  | 3 Pages

    Why is the first amendment the most important, people may ask? It is important because it gives people the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, and the right to peacefully assemble and petition the government. There is a boiling pot in the America so everybody is different , and with different mixes from different places. People may say what they want because of their opinion. If they feel like they need to say their words louder than others they can do that to, well now i’m going to explain to how the first amendment is the most important .

    Read More

  • Fourth Branch Of Government Essay

    778 Words  | 4 Pages

    writing prompt #6: Explain why the media has been called the fourth branch of government. Include your opinion of whether this is an accurate portrayal. Media is considered the fourth branch of government, but why? Media influences lives on the daily and can influence governmental thoughts, opinions , and decisions as well. Because of this it could be used for or against the government.

    Read More

  • Dbq Research Paper

    887 Words  | 4 Pages

    After separating from Britain the founding fathers formed the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation and its ideas ended up being a disaster in the founders picture of a functioning government. With no right to tax citizens the national and state governments they could not raise money. This caused serious civil unrest an led to the drafting of the constitution in 1781. The constitution brought about many important changes, with the most influential on politics being checks and balances.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of Media Bias

    1501 Words  | 7 Pages

    Media bias has a very large effect on society and most often in a negative way. There are four specific effects that will be discussed. These are, it undermines the public’s trust in the media, it leads to a decline in productive discussion, it can ruin the reputation of businesses or individuals

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Media Censorship

    729 Words  | 3 Pages

    Media Censorship: Good or bad? On the last decades, the freedom of speech has become one of the most discussed and relevant topics inside general population and governments. When it comes to human basic rights, it is clear that the free and open shared of information and communication between all parts plays an important role to ensure a healthy development and progress. However, to think that every country will be willing to spread all kinds of ideas and opinions without placing a boundary would be a utopian assumption.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Media Bias

    1019 Words  | 5 Pages

    Bias is defined as being prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. Americans experience some sort of bias every day, however, media bias is likely the most prevalent. Media can be biased towards liberals, conservatives, or any other political leaning. According to University of Oklahoma Professor, Keith Gaddie, the mainstream media mostly suffers from liberal bias - which is usually hostile toward conservative candidates and causes. Media bias can misinform, exaggerate truths, and cause confusion during voting season.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Media Conglomerates

    2798 Words  | 12 Pages

    A media source which ignores or censors important issues and events severely damages freedom of information. Many modern tabloids, twenty four hour news channels and other mainstream media sources have increasingly been criticized for not conforming to general standards of journalistic integrity. In nations described as authoritarian by most international think-tanks and NGOs media ownership is generally something very close to the complete state control over information in direct or indirect ways. Undesirable consequences which occur due to media imperialism are: • Commercially driven ultra-powerful mass market media is primarily loyal to sponsors i.e. advertisers and government rather than to the public interest.

    Read More

  • Essay On Freedom Of Speech In Malaysia

    965 Words  | 4 Pages

    Malaysian has the right to freedom of speech which is guaranteed by Article 10 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Article 10 allows all citizens the absolute freedom as not restricted by the government. In Malaysia, Law such as Publications act and printing presses give the Malaysian authorities the control over all the media. Any act that against this law may lead to fines or in much extreme cases, prison sentence. Although Malaysia has the right to freedom of speech, the media are still being controlled by the government which restrict them to publish anything against the government.

    Read More

  • Advantages And Disadvantages Of Liberal Democracy

    996 Words  | 4 Pages

    Liberal Democracy is a democratic system of government in which individual rights and freedoms are officially recognized and protected, and the exercise of political power is limited by the rule of law. The word democracy is greek, the word “demos” means people and “kratos” means power. The idea of liberalism first began in the 1600’s with John Locke as he believed that the people should be allowed to remove the government currently ruling when they have misused their power for ulterior motives. Although the seed was planted in the 1600’s, liberal democracy only properly took form in the 1840’s in Canada. Australia and New Zealand followed not long after as they began to use the secret ballot system to elect political leaders.

    Read More

  • Chinese Media System Analysis

    1853 Words  | 8 Pages

    The People’s Republic of China, governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has arguably one of the most restrictive media systems in the world. The government censors all venues of media to maintain its monopoly on power and information while pushing ambitious economic modernization reforms. The media system in China is very different, but not totally different from the systems in all other countries in the world.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Freedom Of Expression In Malaysia

    1026 Words  | 5 Pages

    As human beings, we are all born with an entitlement of freedom of speech or synonymously known as freedom of expression as it is a basic human right. It is stated in the Federal Constitution and it is important for us human beings to protect our rights to freedom of speech and expression as it is the backbone for a democratic society. Having the right to express oneself freely without any restrictions is an essential part of what it means to be a free human being. Article 10 in the Federal Constitution states that; (a) every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression; (b) all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms; (c) all citizens have the right to form associations.

    Read More

More about Essay On Freedom Of Press

Open Document