Freedom of Press

Freedom of Press

Introduction

Press freedom is one way of ensuring that a democratic government, together with the media (newspapers, radio, television, provider internet) should ensure that citizens and their associations, to ensure the existence of free speech and free press with a set of rights extended primarily for members of the agencies of journalism, and their publications. It also extends the right to access and collection of information, and processes that are used to obtain information to distribute to the public. In Italy the freedom of the press is enshrined in Art. 21 of the Constitution. Even as an integral of the country ' European Union's Italy undertakes to respect the freedom of the press as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Art. II-71 states that "Freedom of expression and information.” Not in all countries of the world's information is protected by a charter of rights or specific articles of the constitution relating to freedom of the press. For example, ' Australia does not have any articles in its constitution and not a "bill of rights" that protects the right to freedom of the press.

Discussion

In a democratic society such as the U.S., the press fills one of the weightiest of all possible roles: to educate the public about current affairs. Yet for decades, it has also been the target of bitter popular criticism. The press now has a predominantly negative impact on American life, many people say. It leans too heavily on sensational topics involving sex and violence, and it is primarily driven by a desire for profit. People's privacy and dignity often fall victim to the media's seemingly insatiable hunger for novelty. Are those characterizations fair? Is it possible that the press is given too much leeway to act as it pleases? Should new legal guidelines be imposed on the media, or would such guidelines pose a threat to the basic freedoms that all Americans enjoy?

The Constitution's First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law...abridging freedom of speech, or of the press." That mandate has been the basis for current laws and policies governing the press. For much of the past century, the Constitution's guarantee of a free press has withstood many of the challenges it has faced. Courts have consistently found that freedom of the press can be curtailed only under limited circumstances. Few nations have a press as free--or even nearly as free--as the U.S.'s. According to the human rights organization Freedom House, about 80% of the world's population lives in countries where the press is substantially restricted (Starr, 2004).

Another dimension to the freedom of press is its misuse. The infamous practice of sensationalizing news, popularly called 'Yellow Journalism' has been responsible for damaging many careers. Every coin has two sides, in the same way every profession has two faces. But what makes irresponsible journalism more harmful than any other vice, is the mass appeal and following the press garners. As the former president of U.S.A, Benjamin Franklin had said, “With great power, comes ...