What is free press, and how does it work? What is its role in a democracy?
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What does free press mean, how does it work, and what is its role in a modern democracy? We break down its importance, and why it’s under threat – even in the EU.
By Jonathan Day
What we read, hear and share every day, whether reading through the daily newspaper in the morning or having a conversation with our friends, forms a central part of our democracy. Getting good information about the society we live in, and then having free and open discussions about how things are and how they should change, is the sort of dialogue that nurtures a strong democracy. And it all depends on having a free press.
What is free press?
When we say a country has a free press, we mean that its news outlets and other publications, even individual citizens, have the right to communicate information without influence or fear of retribution from the state or other powerful entities or individuals. We often use the term ‘free press’ and ‘independent journalism,’ a subject we previously explored, more or le...
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