Free and uncensored news media

Free and uncensored news media are essential for a democratic society. Just as death follows a person deprived of air, tyranny follows a society deprived of honest knowledge about the community, the nation, and the world. Thus, the media's role in American culture needs to be periodically evaluated. The purpose of this research is to examine the functions and power of the mass media in the United States and its impact on society.

Throughout this research, the terms "press" and "communications media" are used interchangeably to connote all institutional means for mass communication of information throughout society, including newspapers, television, radio and mass circulation magazines. Although it is difficult to gauge how much power is wielded by the media, there is no question the press is seen as a pivotal institution in the affairs of government.

The "founding father" of the Soviet Union, V.I. Lenin, recognized the power of the press in challenging the authority of the Communist government and thus urged its subordination: "Why should a government which is doing what it believes to be right allow itself to be criticized? It would not allow opposition by lethal weapons. Ideas are more fatal than guns" (Ladd, 1985, p. 471). Conversely, Thomas Jefferson also saw the value of the press in dispersing a diversity of ideas necessary for a free society, but Jefferson relished this function: "Were it left to

me to decide whether we should have

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sy establishment of competitive newspapers. Resources were widely dispersed. And starting a press was affordable. For example, in 1835 New York's Morning Herald was started at the cost of $500 (Ladd, 1985, p. 472). Later developments in technology and the concentration of resources have changed all this. The advent of television and radio, as well as improvements in printing technology and transportation, have transformed the press into "mass media." CBS News reaches a nightly audience of about 15 million people. The print media have also acquired mass audiences. The Wall Street Journal has a paid circulation in excess of 2 million. With such a mass audience the media today generate enormous revenues. The three television networks alone had revenues of $4.57 billion in 1980 (Television, 1981, pp. 59-60). And with enormous revenues comes enormous start-up and operating costs. Thomas Jefferson could never have afforded establishing a newspaper today. Competition in the press market of ideas has been drastically reduced by the encroachments of big business. It is estimated that today roughly 44 corporations control half or more of all mass media output (Bagdikian, 1985, p. 100). Even though there are about 1,700 daily

Category: Government - F