A Free Press A Free People

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A Free Press A Free People

• Journalism Seminar
• Mrs. Demos

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Freedom of the Press

• Although a cherished right of the people, freedom
  of the press is different from other liberties of
  the people in that it is both individual and
  institutional.

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Thomas Jefferson (1787)

• The basis of our government being the opinion of
  the people, the very first object should be to
  keep that right and were it left to me to decide
  whether we should have a government without
  newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I
  should not hesitate a moment to prefer the
  latter.

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Origins of Free Speech and Free Press

• Under British law of the time critical utterances
  about the government, either written or spoken,
  were subject to punishment under English law.

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In the Colonies

• The British ruling the colonies attempted to
  apply the same laws in the New World.
• 1735 British Governor of New York, William Cosby,
  brings a libel suit against publisher John Peter
  Zenger.
• The American jury acquits Zenger because what he
  said was true.
• By the Revolution American journalist regularly
  criticized the British government.

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Modern Press Freedom

• 1931 Near v. Minnesota
• First time the First Amendment is applied
• Rules that no government can curtail a
  newspapers Constitutional right to publish.
• Newspapers could still be sued for defamation,
  but would continue to publish

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Heed Their Rising Voices

• 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement
• Civil rights organizations take out a full page
  add in the New York Times describing the
  difficulties faced in Alabama and asking for
  donations for the cause.
• Montgomery, Alabama Police Commissioner Sullivan
  sues the New York Times on the basis that the ad
  contained factual errors.

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Supreme Court

• The ruling is over turned and the court abolishes
  any punishment for publication when the stories
  involve public officials and the performance of
  their duty, except when a paper knowingly
  publishes untrue information.
• The ruling addresses a major issuethe ability of
  the press to report on the government and
  government actions fully and freely.

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Right of the People

• The court ruled that the citizenry needed to be
  informed, and threats of libel against a
  newspaper for doing its job could not be allowed.

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The Pentagon Papers

• 1971 A Defense Department employee, who opposed
  American involvement in Vietnam, stole documents
  that contained no military secrets, but did show
  the military build up.
• The New York Times began publishing the papers
  and the Government stopped them until the Supreme
  Court could make a decision.

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The Ruling

• The government has no right to censor newspapers
  or prevent the disclosure of embarrassing
  information.

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Whats the Connection

• Public discussion is a political duty. In order
  to carry out this responsibility as a citizen,
  one must be informed.
• Accurate information will not always come from
  the government

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The Fourth Estate

• Reference to the British Parliament and its Three
  Estates.
• The press was called the Fourth Estate for its
  power to influence public opinion.

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Group activity

• With your group read/skim the article on media
  influences.
• Identify three key ways the media influences the
  public.
• Discuss how you are influenced by the media
  discussed in the article.
• Be prepared to present your article to the class.