The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The First Amendment clearly protects the rights of the press to exercise freely and to free speech. Journalism is the only business in the United States that is constitutionally protected.
Why is freedom of the press so important?
In a Democracy, the public has the right to know about their government, social networks, and economic institutions involved in their day-to-day lives.
As a journalist, I have the right to report the truth to the public by any means necessary. I also have the right to use the Freedom of Information act to help me discover the actions of federal agencies.
On the other hand, journalists have to be weary of libel, assumptions, and fabrication. A journalist can’t be protected by the First Amendment if they are guilty of libel and fabricating stories.
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