Freedom of press hiding in shadows of big business

by Jon Seaborn, editor-in-chief

Freedom of the press and freedom of speech may be two of the most important rights we have as Americans.

Being a journalist, perhaps they are more important to me than others. But there are people who don’t want to hear what you or I have to say.

All for-profit news organizations are going to have this problem. This is because all for-profit media is in some way trying not to upset any of their advertisers. That is where the money for all media comes from: there is no way around it.

Everybody has got to make that all-mighty dollar. There is a movie titled “Corporation.” This film goes into detail about how Fox News was set to run a story about a beef company that was injecting livestock with harmful growth hormones. The company had money invested in Fox, so being the true journalists that the people at Fox are, they cut the story and it never aired. The hormones that were being used were harmful not only to the cows, but for humans as well. None of that matters to Fox though. Got to make that money, man.

During the past few years, Americans have witnessed the number of the major corporations that own the television and published news decline, with much of the control concentrated in massive conglomerates. This may give the wrong impression while fewer corporations own the news America reads and sees day to day. Bigger corporations are buying up all those that were going under.

While this may make investors and CEO’s very rich, these changes in ownership will endanger not only free speech or press, but democracy, which demands it’s citizens to be informed, as well. Without access to a variety of viewpoints, our nation could be in danger.

This movement in ownership is being aided by government policies that outright reward big industry at the expense of the public interest. While the media moguls talk about “deregulation,” do you think they really want to see a genuine market with real competition?

History shows us that the relaxation of media ownership laws leads to more market consolidation and less competition, which is a bad thing. America’s media needs that competition in order to deliver real news. Without it, we are all doomed. But with major media corporations putting dollars into the campaign coffers of policies makers, don’t look for change anytime soon.

The Government is not helping this problem in other ways as well, announcing rate increases in periodicals-class, or secondary mail, increases that will hit small journals and magazines not owned by major conglomerates.’ This could drive small independent journals and magazines, which may voice more alternative viewpoints, out of business.

The first Amendment to the united States Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of the press,” which is something that is probably scary to some of the leaders of our nation. Journalism is the public’s position in the checks and balances system: it’s the only way to keep our government honest.

Most of the censorship comes from upstairs, which big, important business men deciding what you need to know. Therefore, the bigger the news organization, the more likely it is that censorship will happen. Even college papers are subject to some censorship.

If you are looking for free media and unbiased news, you will have to search long and hard to find a good independent newspaper or online publication.

Free speech is also in danger. In my last opinion, I talked about police brutality and about the Andrew Mayer incident at the University of Florida. I am now more upset at the school than the police for not letting him ask his question. The one place that free thought should be promoted is on college campuses. He may have gotten out of hand and needed to be toned down, as some will say, but his mic should have never been cut off.

Even something as small as a T-shirt can end up getting your free speech rights violated. A JetBlue Airways Security Administration official stopped an American resident of Arab descent from boarding a flight until he agreed to cover his T-shirt, which read "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic script.

The thing about free speech issues is that everyone complains, but no one acts. I am calling for action. If you see something wrong or someone’s rights being violated, stand up, tell people, or write someone who can do something about it.

The thing is, it’s never going to stop as long as we let it happen. It’s time that we actually become the land of the free.