1. Our Fourth Branch: The Press

2. First Amendment: Freedom of the Press
Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..

3. Free Press - Foundation of a Strong Democracy
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

4. What is the purpose of the Press?

5. Purpose of the Press: Anderson Cooper 360 -
“We want to bring you information accurately, fairly. And we want to hold the people in power accountable for their words and their actions.”

6. Purpose of the Press:
New York Times - “All the News That’s Fit to Print”
"Content of the highest quality and integrity: This is the basis for our reputation and the means by which we fulfill the public trust and our customers' expectations."

7. Limits on Free Press National Security - ‘clear & present danger’
Obscenity - Miller Test
Defamation - ‘Slander/Libel’
Privacy - likeness, intrusion, private facts, false light
School Publications - Hazelwood
Schenck (WWI) distributed leaflets about repealing draft law - court disagreed
Miller Test - 1) taken as whole, must appeal to prurient interest in sex (lustful) 2) portray sex in patently offensive way 3) lack serious literary, artistic, politicla or scientific value
Defamation - NY Times v. Sullivan (1964) Public officials must prove “actual malice” (false).
Privacy - 1) appropriation - permitted suits to use name/photo without permission 2) Intrusion, how press gathers info - intrusion without consent 3) Private facts, highly offensive disclosure of info, not public or newsworthy 4) False light, distortion of character
Hazelwood - school sponsored publications, not free speech/press

8. The Big 3 - Major News Services:
McClatchy Group
Associated Press
Reuters

9. Making the News: Choices Made
The Event:
Who, What, When, Where, How
Sources of Information:
Trustworthiness
Reporter:
Journalistic Ethics
Editor:
Fact Checks & Pressure

10. The Press Works Hard, But Aren’t Perfect!
For a Journalist or News Organization, Credibility is your #1 Commodity.
Competition, Faster News Cycles & Higher Expectations for Coverage -- Can lead to Errors …
CBS - Pres Bush & Guard
Katrina Coverage
Syrian Migrants or Refugees??

11. Influences on News: News Cycles Faster always better?
Political Viewpoints
Is anyone Neutral?
Consolidation vs. Fragmentation
News in the hands of a few
News in the hands of many

12. Rupert Murdoch
Owns Fox News, NewsCorp, Major papers in Chicago, LA..

13. The Biggest Influence:
Market Driven Journalism -
Advertisements
Circulation/Ratings
‘If it bleeds, it leads’
Sports/Weather
Human Interest
Entertaining versus Important
Splashy versus Substance
Online vs. Print- who pays for news, and what if print dies?

14. The Good News: Consumer Choice is King!
So choose thoughtfully… and the news will reflect what you want to see/hear/ read

15. Becoming Critical Consumers of News & Information..
Ask the following questions as you watch/read/listen to News..
S ource
M otive
A uthority
R eview
T wo-source Test
Source of info, where come from? How far removed from original? What sources left out?
Motive - why do they say so? Bias/Slant? Point of view?
Authority - how good is source? Fact checking - expert - rumors?
Review - does it make sense - logically consistent? Errors in facts/conclusions?
Two Source Test - double check.

16. Following News is like Eating your Vegetables…
Not as fun as eating dessert.. But Good for you & Good for this democracy