Freedom of the Press/Threatening to government

Freedom of the Press

Is this right often perceived as threatening to government authorities?

While freedom of the press is outlined in the constitution, public trust in the media has continued to waver. In a Gallup Poll done in October 2018, it was found that “only 45% of Americans had a high degree or fair amount of trust in the news media to fairly report the news.” Oftentimes it may seem like the news outlets have a bias, for example, “cable organizations are labeled as liberal or conservative instead of just news. Information flows on social media and Internet sites at lightning-fast speed with no way to verify accuracy” (Wermiel, 2019). The combination of being labeled as “liberal” or “conservative” as well as the speed at which information is posted on social media allows for the possibility that some people may choose to avoid a certain media outlet if it’s labeled different than what they identify as. For example, if Fox News is regarded as a media source that leans Republican, then Democrats may choose to steer clear of it. Conversely, if Democracy Now is regarded as left leaning, then Republicans will avoid it. If information online is flowing so fast that there’s no way to verify if it’s “correct,” then that could tarnish a political candidate’s reputation, as well as their campaign in general, because it could cause them to lose support from their constituents. This freedom is perceived as threatening to members of government when it brings shame to their name. In 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act which allowed for people to be prosecuted when they “brought the president of the government into disrepute and ridicule” (Wermiel, 2019). This act was created because President Wilson and Congress wanted to eliminate people speaking out about their opposition to the involvement of the United States in the war (This Day in History). Freedom of the press may be perceived as threatening to government authorities when the media is able to uncover the wrongdoings or abuse of the government because it could prevent citizens from fully trusting the government in its ability to do things in the best interest of its citizens. For example, “Watergate” is “synonymous with political crime and corruption” (Watergate). President Nixon was not a big fan of freedom of the press; according to William Robinson, who worked for the New York Herald Tribune, he believed that it was a “handy refuge for subtle as well as overt character assassination” (Farell, 2014). However, even if some people in government positions may view freedom of the press as threatening, the Supreme Court has upheld the press’ right to report on anything they deem important. For example, in the Supreme Court case New York Times Company v Sullivan, the “actual malice” test was created, which requires that a public figure demonstrates that someone knew the information they were reporting was false, but proceeded to use it anyway (Oyez). So, while news outlets can post whatever they want, they run the risk of being sued for libel (the publication of false information). In order to cover up anything that government authorities may not want known, they have “made explicit attempts to silence critical media voices and strengthen outlets that serve up favorable coverage” (Repucci). It may appear that some government officials want to be seen in a positive light, and they could attempt to remove any media that depicts them in a way that’s different from that.

Wermiel, Stephen. Freedom of the Press: Challenges to This Pillar of Democracy. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publications/insights-on-law-and-society/volume-19/insights-vol-19-issue-2/freedom-of-the-press/.

“U.S. Congress Passes Sedition Act.” History.Com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-congress-passes-sedition-act.

“Watergate.” FBI. FBI, August 12, 2016. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/watergate.

Farrell, John. When Nixon Met the Press - Politico Magazine. Last modified August 6, 2014. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/08/nixon-and-the-media-109773.

New York Times Company v. Sullivan. https://www.oyez.org/cases/1963/39.

Repucci, Sara. “Media Freedom: A Downward Spiral.” Freedom House. https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-and-media/2019/media-freedom-downward-spiral.