Media Censorship

Censorship is the control of the material to which people are exposed. When feeling endangered by free expression, a government may turn to censorship in order to protect its image and or beliefs. This may protect the government’s image and beliefs, but it does not protect the body that it governs and is a devious method of confronting an issue. It was said by former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart that “The publishing business is, in short, the only organized private business that is given explicit constitutional protection.” This was a necessary measure taken by our nation’s founding fathers (questia.com)

. . .

The first major victory for freedom in the press in the American colonies was gained by printer, editor, and publisher of the New York Weekly Journal, John Peter Zenger. The opinions stated in the media become the opinions of the viewers. Censorship may be exercised by formal methods, when government officials follow the law to control free expression, or informal methods, when censorship takes place when no specific law covers an offense (Beth 258). In the past and here in the present as well, propaganda induces and strengthens uprisings and wars. The calling of the critique on Governor William Cosby as “criminal libel” was an attempt to censor offensive, but perfectly truthful comments on an official. If the press is informing the public, as their duty,

Irazabal 2

they should be doing so both diligently and thoroughly.

One of the most dangerous side affects of censorship of the press is that it increases the effectiveness of propaganda.

Overall media censorship is an unhealthy practice. Information released into the minds of the people is taken as fact, a fact believed to uphold as much accuracy as the current time of day stated by “Good Morning America”. Underhanded methods such as distortion, concealment, and lying are also used in propaganda, but propagandists must be perceived by their victims as a reliable source, and gain the trust of their audience by simplicity, repetition, and use of symbols (George 727). The censorship of the press betrays the trust of the people, and leaves a country of civilians functioning on thoughts that are influenced by chopped up or half-truths. An open media would, therefore, influence those who run our nation for the better. With an uncensored

Irazabal 3

body of media, public and government officials are more likely to be more careful of their actions and keep their flaws in check, as these aspects of their characters could potentially be revealed to the public. As this example shows, the media is useful in bringing about ideas and bringing to light the behavior of public and government officials. He was defended by a famous Philadelphia lawyer by the name of Andrew Hamilton who won the case by arguing that what was printed was the truth, and truth was not libelous (Hammond 495).

Common topics in this essay:
William Cosby, Potter Stewart, Bill Rights, America People, Andrew Hamilton, American Idiot, Censorship Don't, Peter Zenger, Lewis Morris, media censorship, government officials, Green Days, governor william cosby, censorship press, abridging press, governor william, criminal libel, beliefs protect, william cosby, public government officials, public government, image beliefs protect, actions opinions,

Approximate Word count = 846
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Already a member? Click here