Why Does a Democracy Need Journalism and the First Amendment?

Photo by Melissa Batke, July 2009

Freedom of speech and of the press is one of the most unique and successful qualities of democracy today. Without their first amendment rights, journalists would not have the power to properly and accurately distribute the news. The importance of the First Amendment is that it protects journalism and allows it to regulate democracy. Journalism is very important to democratic nations because it provides a connecting point between the government and the citizens. There are three main instances in which democracy needs journalism and the first amendment the most. The first example of these instances is in times of war. In times of war and violence, it is up to the journalists and their First Amendment rights to relay accurate information to the citizens of the countries involved in conflict. In a previous blog I have explained the importance of information to military families in particular. Without information provided by journalists who risk their lives to cover the news, military family members would have virtually no information about their loved one overseas. 

CNN video clip >> Journalist Lara Logan under fire

“I’m absolutely, absolutely committed to this. I see this as my responsibility that if you’re going to send soldiers to war in other people’s lands, you have a responsibility for the people of this country and for the people around the world to know what it is that they’re being subjected to and to know how that’s going. If you don’t have people out there reporting on this,  then anyone can say anything they like about it and you don’t know whether it’s true or not.”

-Lara Logan, Journalist and war correspondent, talks about the importance of journalistic coverage in times of war

The second of the three examples is journalism in times of corruption. During a period of time in which a government is corrupt, it is the job of the press to regulate the constant stream of information. The third and final example of journalistic regulation is during times of governmental elections. During major government change, the press is entrusted with communicating accurate information to the public. The main reason journalism is needed is so that the citizens of a country can see the transparency of a government’s actions. Just like a fourth branch of government, journalism is responsible for monitoring the separate branches of democracy and keeping them in line. Without their First Amendment rights, journalists would not be able to correctly do their jobs because they would not be able to get to the bottom of government stories, they would only be able to report on what the government gives them permission to. Journalism and the First Amendment of the Constitution are two of the most crucial staples in the process of shaping a successful democratic system of government. Without journalism and the journalistic style of writing, the United State government would have no way to communicate with its citizens in the times in which communication is the most crucial.

Photo courtesy of Molly McMahon, July 2008

Photo courtesy of Molly McMahon, July 2008