Freedom of the press
A bit more realistic view on actual conditions for independent media is needed
 Freedom of the press    | |
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| Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media should be considered a right to be exercised freely. In Western countries, defined as not applicable to independent media. |
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Such freedom implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state; its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other legal protections.
Contents
Overview
With respect to governmental information, any government may distinguish which materials are public or protected from disclosure to the public. State materials are protected due to either of two reasons: the classification of information as sensitive, classified or secret, or the relevance of the information to protecting the national interest. Many governments are also subject to sunshine laws or freedom of information legislation that are used to define the ambit of national interest.
The United Nations' 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
- "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".[1]
This philosophy is usually accompanied by legislation ensuring various degrees of freedom of scientific research (known as scientific freedom), publishing, and press. The depth to which these laws are entrenched in a country's legal system can go as far down as its constitution. The concept of freedom of speech is often covered by the same laws as freedom of the press, thereby giving equal treatment to spoken and published expression. Sweden was the first country in the world to adopt freedom of the press into its constitution with the Freedom of the Press Act of 1766.[2]
Problems with official narrative
In the West as in the rest of the world, press freedom is not extended to actual independent media, which is heavily censored, "debanked" and otherwise persecuted. The suppression has gathered speed since the 2010s.
Related Quotations
| Page | Quote | Author | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Agee | “[CIA] operations help sustain favorable operating conditions for U.S.-based multi-national corporations. These conditions, together with political hegemony, were our real goals. So-called liberal democracy and pluralism were only means to those ends. "Free elections" really meant freedom for our candidates. "Free trade unions" meant freedom for us to establish our unions. "Freedom of the press" mean freedom for us to pay journalists to publish our material as if it were the journalists' own. When an elected government threatened U.S. economic and political interests, it had to go. Social and economic justice were fine concepts for public relations, but only for that.” | Philip Agee | 1987 |
| Ilham Aliyev | “How do you assess what happened to Mr Assange? Is it a reflection of free media in your country?” | Ilham Aliyev | 15 November 2020 |
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:The arrest of journalist Richard Medhurst and the fight to defend democratic rights | Article | 27 August 2024 | Robert Stevens | Now, in a move that would have been agreed to by PM Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Labour has pioneered the use of an amendment to the Terrorism Act passed by the Tories to once again attempt to silence and criminalise a journalist and political activist. The same course is being pursued by governments throughout the world. |
References
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