The history of “a free press” in America goes back to the 1700s when early newspapers and political writers faced strict censorship from British authorities. Since most of the colonists had come to America to enjoy freedom from British rule, such censorship was not welcomed, and many American patriots continued to write and publish despite threats from the Crown.

Constitution: Legal protections for freedom of the press as well as for freedom of speech and religion

It was for this very reason that America’s Founding Fathers made sure the United States Constitution included legal protections for freedom of the press as well as for freedom of speech and religion. Because of these safeguards within the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1791, several landmark cases have been adjudicated by the U.S. Supreme Court that have further strengthened freedom of the press.

Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by scrubbing freedom of the press.~ Benjamin Franklin

Even before the U.S. Constitution was ratified, a precedent-setting case for freedom of the press was won in 1735 when John Peter Zenger, the publisher of the New York Weekly Journal, was acquitted of libel for criticizing the Governor of New York, William Cosby. The defense argued that truthful public-interest statements cannot be libelous, and the jury agreed.

In 1931, the landmark case of Near v. Minnesota affirmed that the government cannot censor publications in advance. This was an extremely important win because otherwise the government would be able to make a list of topics that the press is prohibited from writing about.

In 1939, another landmark case known as Lovell v. City of Griffin expanded the definition of press as “every sort of publication which affords a vehicle of information and opinion.” This definition has since extended to all sorts of newspapers, books, plays, movies, and even video games.

In the New York Times Co. v. Sullivan case heard in 1964, it was established that public officials must prove “actual malice” to win a libel case. This finding continues to provide strong protection for the press even today in reporting about elected or appointed persons in government positions.

The concept of the “citizen journalist” dates to Benjamin Franklin

Despite the U.S. Constitution’s protections for freedom of the press, U.S. ranking has continued to drop significantly in the last 10 years. In 2010, the U.S. was ranked 28^th. The top four countries in this latest report with the most freedom of the press are Norway, Estonia, Netherlands, and Sweden.

In America today, reference to “the press” is a term which also includes “citizen journalists,” who can write about any topic they choose to write about. That doesn’t mean these journalists won’t get criticized from others who disagree with them, but they are pretty much free to write what they want to write so long as they aren’t breaking any laws. (Essentially, most who write commentary for AFP/CFP could be called citizen journalists.)

The term “citizen journalism” gained traction in the late 1990s, when the Internet became widely available for personal use. However, the concept of the “citizen journalist” dates to Benjamin Franklin, who believed that ordinary people could be creators and distributors of news.

In 1729, when he was only 23 years old, Benajmin Franklin purchased the Pennsylvania Gazette and transformed it into the most successful colonial newspaper of that era. He published his own writing, often using pseudonyms, and included essays, news from Europe, and local news of interest. Basically, Franklin became America’s first “newsman,” and he is credited with publishing America’s first political cartoon in 1754.

The best antidote (i.e., something that counteracts or cancels) to the dishonest reporting by once respectable big city newspapers like the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Minnesota (formerly Minneapolis) Star Tribune, and The Guardian is the rise in independent citizen journalists. Citizen journalists significantly impact traditional media coverage by providing immediate, unfiltered, accounts of events often highlighting stories MSM overlooked. 

Nick Shirley, James O'Keefe, Nick Sortor

The recent reporting by Nick Shirley about the fraudulent day care centers in Minnesota is an excellent example of how one person, who is willing to do some actual research and old-fashioned legwork, can bring an important news story of significant fraud and deceit into the public realm. Shirley’s 43-minute video is still available on YouTube. )

Another well-known citizen journalist is James O’Keefe, the founder of O’Keefe Media Group. O’Keefe has been criticized because of his use of undercover recordings, but this method has allowed him to break many news stories that otherwise would never have seen the light of day. It is truly astounding how many people are willing to “spill the company secrets” to a total stranger with a hidden microphone to make themselves look important or in the know.

(Note: Most states allow one-party consent meaning a person can record a conversation without informing the other party if they are a participant in the conversation. There are eleven states that do not allow one-party recording of conversations.)

Around 2004, podcasting gained traction as a way for citizen journalism to expand its reach, and there are many, many different types of podcasts now available. Some podcasts are free, and some are by subscription, but there is something for everyone’s taste in the podcasting world of today. Many former television personalities and retired political figures now have their own podcasts along with a lot of other people, some of whom are quite young and impressive.

One podcaster whose name seems to be mentioned more and more is Nick Sortor. Sorter calls himself a conservative journalist, social media influencer, and political commentator. He now has more than one million followers on X (formerly Twitter). Sortor is especially recognized for his live/onsite reporting during politically motivated protests. Sortor was recently arrested outside a Portland ICE facility while reporting on what was happening there.

45 million adults in the United States are functionally illiterate, and 19% of high school graduates in the U.S. can’t read

Another fairly recent platform for freelance journalists, political commentators, writers, and anyone else who believes they have something worthwhile to say can be found at Substack. Substack is an American online platform that allows writers to send digital content directly to subscribers and monetize it. The platform also offers payment services, analytics, and design infrastructure to support subscription-based content.

With the many computer-based news sites and other online commentary available nowadays, there is no excuse for anyone not to stay informed about any topic they are interested in. Sadly, even though we have more information available to us today than ever before, America’s academic and literary standards and thinking skills have fallen so drastically in the last 50 years that our citizens are less informed, not more informed.

According to a recent report by the American Psychological Association, 45 million adults in the United States are functionally illiterate, and 19% of high school graduates in the U.S. can’t read. The report goes on to say that 50% of adults in the U.S. cannot read a book written at an 8^th grade level. These statistics are problematic because if an American citizen cannot read, then they are going to be far less likely to understand the importance of a maintaining a free press, not to mention being unable to benefit from a free press.

The bottom line is that a free society, especially one based on a Constitution like we have in the United States of America, requires that their citizens be able to read and understand, be curious enough to search out alternative opinions, and come to their own conclusions about what they read in the press.

The press is the best instrument for enlightening the mind of man, and improving him as a rational, moral, and social being. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Sherry Knight Rossiter——Bio and Archives

Sherry Knight Rossiter resides in Missoula, Montana, where she is a licensed mental health professional in private practice and an adjunct college professor.  She is an unabashed Christian conservative, a former Army helicopter pilot, and a very concerned American citizen.

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