Do you believe that there should be any effort to legally control the presentation of “news” by newspapers and television? Damage has been done to individuals as a result of loosely controlled media reports:
- Lurid reporting of crime (especially bizarre ones) seems to trigger further incidents (e.g., skyjackings, snipings, sex crimes).
- Different networks or newspapers have reported events of national importance totally differently from each other. For example, during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, one network showed dirty, vulgar, hippie-type protesters crudely abusing the fine family men of Chicago’s police department; while another network showed a metropolitan Gestapo mistreating beautiful, young Americans exercising their heritage of lawful protest. Yet, our concept of government necessitates that citizens be informed in order to put proper pressure on legislators.
- Reporting of shortages (gas and toilet paper) tended in some cases to actually create more of a shortage by causing panic buying.
Before you begin writing, read the first amendment of the US Constitution. How do your views on this topic reconcile with your interpretation of the first amendment? Can you find examples of “irresponsible” reporting online?
