I think we take a lot of things for granted in the United States (and much of the Western world for that matter): the ability to get information when and how we want, the right to broadcast seemingly anything we seem fit, and the freedom to openly share our thoughts. Much of the U.S. media's rights are based on the First Amendment (Freedom of Speech). This freedom has shaped the way journalism is rooted in the American culture.
However, the right to receive information is not officially protected in the U.S. constitution. Nonetheless, most journalists will tell you they have the right to ask questions, they have the right to film you in public, and they have the 'right to know.' It is a journalism standard that seems to be accepted in the American culture. Just look at the Wikileaks ordeal taking place right now: it's all about freedom of speech and the 'right' to receive information. Some journalists have condemned WikiLeaks, others believe this to be the largest fight for the freedom of speech in this decade. Whichever side you are on depends on what your standards and beliefs about journalism are. And your standards and beliefs on journalism - will depend largely on the culture you grew up in or surround yourself with right now. Even though American journalists are used to the freedom to write a story on any topic they seem fit, to many journalists - this type of freedom is a luxury. Journalists in Korea and China, for example, are faced with serious sanctions if they report on stories the government condemns. Just a few weeks ago, a Chinese woman and online activist was sentenced to one year labor camp for one single tweet. It's something unimaginable for American journalists, yet seems to be a daily threat for their Chinese colleagues. However, the Chinese media seems to have received more freedom in the past decade. Newspapers reportedly have the freedom to choose any topic they want to report about, as long as it's not too politically sensitive. Even though every university is headed by both a regular President and a member of the Party, teachers seem to be free to teach whatever they want (but keep in mind: students can report any 'irregularities' to the University's Party leader). Even though Chinese newspapers may be partly censored, Chinese people have the freedom to go online and check news sites such as The New York Times. The ability to browse the web and check other news sources seemed unthinkable just a few decades ago. So, even though news sources are still censored, there seems to be vast improvement. That's even the case in North Korea. In October 2010, North Korea opened up the Internet for the first time in history. One of the first websites to appear was from the country's official news agency. Journalists attending the country's national anniversary were able to connect to Skype and Twitter for the first time ever. Those online tools are often taken for granted in Western societies - but are part of a first, and huge, step for a country that just made its first full internet connection. What I'm trying to say is this: to fully understand a country's journalism practices, you have to go back to the roots. It's very easy to judge governments and simply say everybody should have the right to free speech. But the truth is: little steps are being made constantly, and I think every right step should be praised - however small it may seem.
However, the right to receive information is not officially protected in the U.S. constitution. Nonetheless, most journalists will tell you they have the right to ask questions, they have the right to film you in public, and they have the 'right to know.' It is a journalism standard that seems to be accepted in the American culture. Just look at the Wikileaks ordeal taking place right now: it's all about freedom of speech and the 'right' to receive information. Some journalists have condemned WikiLeaks, others believe this to be the largest fight for the freedom of speech in this decade. Whichever side you are on depends on what your standards and beliefs about journalism are. And your standards and beliefs on journalism - will depend largely on the culture you grew up in or surround yourself with right now. Even though American journalists are used to the freedom to write a story on any topic they seem fit, to many journalists - this type of freedom is a luxury. Journalists in Korea and China, for example, are faced with serious sanctions if they report on stories the government condemns. Just a few weeks ago, a Chinese woman and online activist was sentenced to one year labor camp for one single tweet. It's something unimaginable for American journalists, yet seems to be a daily threat for their Chinese colleagues. However, the Chinese media seems to have received more freedom in the past decade. Newspapers reportedly have the freedom to choose any topic they want to report about, as long as it's not too politically sensitive. Even though every university is headed by both a regular President and a member of the Party, teachers seem to be free to teach whatever they want (but keep in mind: students can report any 'irregularities' to the University's Party leader). Even though Chinese newspapers may be partly censored, Chinese people have the freedom to go online and check news sites such as The New York Times. The ability to browse the web and check other news sources seemed unthinkable just a few decades ago. So, even though news sources are still censored, there seems to be vast improvement. That's even the case in North Korea. In October 2010, North Korea opened up the Internet for the first time in history. One of the first websites to appear was from the country's official news agency. Journalists attending the country's national anniversary were able to connect to Skype and Twitter for the first time ever. Those online tools are often taken for granted in Western societies - but are part of a first, and huge, step for a country that just made its first full internet connection. What I'm trying to say is this: to fully understand a country's journalism practices, you have to go back to the roots. It's very easy to judge governments and simply say everybody should have the right to free speech. But the truth is: little steps are being made constantly, and I think every right step should be praised - however small it may seem.
