Second place
Grace Lancaster-Goguen
Woodrow Wilson Senior High School
Washington, D.C.
"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 peacably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." This is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Imperative among these rights is freedom of the press, a liberty that is not enjoyed by all nations. Free and independent news media are important because they provide people with objective and current information that can be used to formulate opinions as well as carry out responsive action.
The primary purpose of the press is to inform a large mass of people. People come to trust their media source and use it to establish their viewpoints. In order to make intelligent decisions regarding policy, one must be well versed in the facts. As Daniel Patrick Moynihan said, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." The news is trusted as a source for facts. From these, people can draw their own conclusions and make their own decisions on how to respond. One important element in news media is images. The media can use images to compel people and to inspire certain emotions. In viewers’ eyes, there is nothing more truthful than a photograph. Throughout history, the media has used images to depict various horrors going on in the world. To cite an example, one can look to the Vietnam War. Once images of the gruesome effort became public, public opinion began to change. A more current example would be the earthquake in Haiti. Images can be a powerful tool for inspiring compassion.
The information that is given to us, whether through printed media, online newspapers, or photojournalism in magazines, is probably one of the most salient components in our lives. It is important that we have a consistent and unbiased network that can tell us what is going on in the world. Where there is democracy, there is free and independent news media; and most say democracy is dependent on this, not the other way around. When a nation enjoys free press, the actions of the government are in check. The government can be held liable by its citizens. It is brought to the level of the people, instead of sitting on an untouchable pedestal. With free and independent news media, we have more control over our government. Free press is the prime entity in separating a free nation from a caged one. When we are free to know, we are free to think.