freedom of the press

is a basic human right, so basic that it is synonymous with democracy.

Kasoma (1997) argues that freedom of the press is essential for democracy and he puts it succinctly: 'freedom of the press is a basic human right, so basic that it is synonymous with democracy. (1991: 116).

is able to be limited by states (but never the national government) in order to prevent personal attacks and libel.

Jefferson's support for a free and open press did not extend to personal attacks and libels. In these areas, the press should be limited. . . . . Jefferson supported an amendment to the federal Constitution to protect the liberty of the press, but ''a declaration that the federal government will never restrain the presses from printing anything they please, will not take away the liability of the printers for false facts printed.' From Jefferson's perspective, the national government should have no control over the press at all. Rather, control of newspapers and magazines (in the sense of preventing the publication of lies and falsehoods) should remain at the state level. In 1804, he told Abigail Adams, wife of fo11ner President John Adams, ''While we deny Congress has a right to control freedom of the press, we have ever asserted the right of the States and their exclusive right, to do so.'8 For Jefferson, the press should be kept true to its calling, and the states possessed the means for carrying out this task.

is essential to democracy, and a press that decides to do less than to subject governmental action to the bar of opinion so that it does not fall into complacency, irresponsiveness and irresponsibility reneges on its responsibility and fails to contribute adequately to the democratic process.

democracy is the responsibility of the press. Ansah (1988) argues that the press should act as a 'watchdog of democracy' and subject governmental action to the ' bar of opinion ' so that it does not fall into 'complacency, irresponsieness and irresponsibility' (1988: 13-4). In developing this argument further , Ansah argues that: 'A press . . . that decides to do less than this reneges on its responsibility and fails to contribute adequately to the democratic process .. . based on democratic participation and decision making' (1988: 14). Democracy and the press are therefore inextricably interwoven... neither can be realized without the other. For democracy to prevail there is a need for a free and vibrant press, and for a free press system to prevail, there is a need for a democracy.

Freedom of press is limited to those who own one.

is little other than the liberty of people abusing one other as they like.

What have the Germans gained by their boasted freedom of the press, except the liberty of abusing each other as they like' Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

is not an end in itself but a means to the end of achieving a free society.

Freedom of the press is not an end in itself but a means to the end of achieving a free society. Felix Frankfurter

is simply a form of property right summed up by the principle 'no money, no voice'.

Lichtenberg argues that freedom of the press is simply a form of property right summed up by the principle 'no money, no voice'.

is capable of being either good or bad, but, most certainly, without freedom a press will never be anything but bad.

A free press can be good or bad, but, most certainly, without freedom a press will never be anything but bad. - Albert Camus

freedom of the press, n.Definitions

freedom of the press