"What Cicilline knows is that one of the greatest threats to journalism today is . . . one of economics."
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THE VALUE of a free press is properly established in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Our country’s founders understood the importance of preserving and protecting the “press” — which now includes broadcast stations and online media — from government interference or control. The newspapers at the time were highly partisan, and they published many anonymous — and often highly inflammatory — articles and opinion pieces about politics and political leaders. So, the First Amendment protections were designed to protect a full range of coverage and opinion. Alexander Hamilton, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were among early American leaders who used printed publications to share their views, as well as criticize their opponents. Most of today’s media are tame compared to those days. But the original protections for a free press remain firmly established and have withstood attacks of all sorts for more than 200 years. So, it might come as a surprise to learn that U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., introduced a bill earlier this year that’s known as the “Journalism Competition and Protection Act of 2018.” One of the bill’s primary goals is to ensure a “free and vibrant” press for the future. What Cicilline knows is that one of the greatest threats to journalism today is not government censorship, claims about “fake news” or even bullying from powerful leaders and interest groups – even though those are concerns. The more powerful threat is one of economics.
The Virginian-Pilot
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