Why Is The First Amendment Important In Journalism
The First Amendment allows for the freedom of the press, and presents a shield of protection for journalists. It also gives the public their rights to the truth, and the journalist’s freedom to seek and report the truth. However, corporate business interests can often conflict with the use of the First Amendment and affect a journalist’s ethical commitment to it. This is portrayed in All the President’s Men, Shattered Glass, and Absence of Malice.
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, U.S. 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 …show more content…
In All the President’s Men, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated and reported a story that they believed the American people should have the right to know. Throughout their investigation Woodward and Bernstein are constantly challenged by Ben Bradlee, The Post’s executive editor. Due to the impact it could have on the reputation of The Post, Bradlee was initially hesitant to print Woodward and Bernstein’s articles. This shows how the business side of news reporting can affect the news itself and a journalist’s First Amendment right. “Nothing's riding on this except the first amendment of the Constitution, freedom of the press and maybe the future of this country”, Bradlee said to Woodward and Bernstein after they discovered the mass involvement in the Watergate scandal (Coblenz & Pakula, 1976). By exercising their rights to the First Amendment, their investigation uncovered involvement all the way up to President Richard Nixon, and even though the White House continued to deny any wrongdoing, The Post continued to print story after story. The Watergate scandal eventually helped take down Nixon, who resigned in August 1974. “Using their First Amendment freedom of the press, Woodward and Bernstein reported on Watergate without fear of censorship or punishment from the government. In addition, shield laws, which protect the anonymity of sources, helped keep the reporters' biggest source, Deep Throat, private (Tenhouse, J., 2012, para
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, U.S. 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 …show more content…
In All the President’s Men, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated and reported a story that they believed the American people should have the right to know. Throughout their investigation Woodward and Bernstein are constantly challenged by Ben Bradlee, The Post’s executive editor. Due to the impact it could have on the reputation of The Post, Bradlee was initially hesitant to print Woodward and Bernstein’s articles. This shows how the business side of news reporting can affect the news itself and a journalist’s First Amendment right. “Nothing's riding on this except the first amendment of the Constitution, freedom of the press and maybe the future of this country”, Bradlee said to Woodward and Bernstein after they discovered the mass involvement in the Watergate scandal (Coblenz & Pakula, 1976). By exercising their rights to the First Amendment, their investigation uncovered involvement all the way up to President Richard Nixon, and even though the White House continued to deny any wrongdoing, The Post continued to print story after story. The Watergate scandal eventually helped take down Nixon, who resigned in August 1974. “Using their First Amendment freedom of the press, Woodward and Bernstein reported on Watergate without fear of censorship or punishment from the government. In addition, shield laws, which protect the anonymity of sources, helped keep the reporters' biggest source, Deep Throat, private (Tenhouse, J., 2012, para