First Amendment = Informed Public

Why is the First Amendment so important to journalists? What are some of the rights you have as a journalist?

The First Amendment is so important to journalists because in most countries, it gives them the right to express their thoughts about the current issues in the world. It gives rights to what can be said and what cannot be said. It regulates how the world is able to get information while giving journalists a long leash if you will.

You have many rights as a journalist including the right to the freedom of the press—meaning you can say whatever you please as long as it does not attack someone personally or incorrectly write about in which it would be libel. You do have the right to go into a private property to obtain information as long as you are invited in. Anything besides that would be illegal for the journalist to publish whatever you found while trespassing.

I think the First Amendment is the most important right we have as Americans. It allows us to speak our minds and obviously while doing so we can debate current issues in the areas we live in. It can stir the political pot, and possibly insight change, such as Libya or Egypt. It can result in repression and dissent in China, where they do not have this right, then you and your family disappear without a trace.

We need to remember how important the right is as an American and a journalist because that is how we stay informed. We choose to watch the news occasionally, but we all should watch, listen, read, anything to the news every second we get because many countries don’t have the right to do so.