Journalism is the lifeblood of a democracy because as long as journalist's freedoms are secure, then citizens will always have access to what is going on in the world and politics. Calling “journalism the lifeblood of a democracy” means that journalism is an absolutely necessary and indispensable factor which gives democracy its strength and vitality. A journalist's job is to be a messenger, by reporting about what government, businesses and other powerful institutions do. In other words, the journalist’s mission is to oversee the work of government officials on behalf of the citizens. Press and media in general is occasionally called the watchdog of society because journalists are supposed to guard policymakers actions to ensure that the policymakers know what the public expects from them.
Journalists have the freedom to do so due to the First Amendment, which gives freedom to press, assembly, petition, religion, and speech. This ensures that there is no censorship by the government on what is published in written form, or spoken. Although, we did not always have this freedom but because of John Milton, and John Stuart Mill, we now have these freedoms.
In Areopagitica by John Milton, his closing paragraph states, “If we think to regulate printing, thereby to rectify manners, we must regulate all recreations and pastimes, all that is delightful to man. No music must be heard, no song be set or sung, but what is grave and Doric. There must be licensing of dancers, that no gesture, motion, or deportment be taught our youth, but what by their allowance shall be thought honest…”. This means that John Milton felt that if they regulate printing, they should censor everything else; music, singing, dancing all recreational activities because he felt as though printing is a pastime. In the rest of the paragraph, he sarcastically states, “The windows also, and the balconies, must be thought on; there are shrewd books, with dangerous frontispieces, set to sale: who shall prohibit them, shall twenty licensers?” John Milton says that everyone will need to be censored, because everyone can still share opinions, but how could they possibly have enough people to control everyones thoughts and expressions.
John Stuart Mill who wrote On Liberty, discusses the value of opinions and diversity. Mill rejects attempts to coerce people's opinions and behavior. He argues that the only time coercion is acceptable is when a person's behavior harms other people, but if not society should treat diversity with respect. He believes this to be true because liberty of opinion is valuable for two main reasons. First, the unpopular opinion may be right. Second, if the opinion is wrong, debating it will allow people to better understand their own opinions. “But though this proposition is not likely to be contested in general terms, the practical question, where to place the limit—how to make the fitting adjustment between individual independence and social control—is a subject on which nearly everything remains to be done. All that makes existence valuable to any one, depends on the enforcement of restraints upon the actions of other people” (Mill On Liberty). Mill describes civilization as a struggle between society and the individual about which should have control over the individual's actions. Mill sees the world as tipping toward a balance in which society, through laws and public opinion, has far more power over the actions and thoughts of an individual than an individual has over himself.
There have been some journalists who do not live up to the responsibilities that these philosophers and the First Amendment stand by, creating fake news, and reporting on false facts. We recently read in class, an article about fake news, where a new college graduate, named Mr. Harris bought an online domain called ChristianTimesNewspaper.com. After purchasing this domain, he began to come up with a tale about fraudulent Clinton votes that were found in a warehouse. Mr. Harris's fake news generated so many views because when the election was taking place, people who were in support of one candidate believed almost anything and everything that was said to tarnish the other candidate. Due to the fact that Mr. Harris had so much success in his fake news, it can make it even harder for people to trust professional journalists, because it tarnishes journalists reputation and ruins credibility. I believe that there isn't much journalists can do to solve this problem because nowadays anyone can post anything on the internet. With this said, it has caused people to be extremely wary of what news is factual and what is fake. But for some other people, they will believe any news that suits their opinion.
There are some other journalists in current times that do live up to their responsibilities by covering rallies, riots, and other intense events that are up for debate on whether journalists should attend or not. This is because Journalists have the First Amendment on there side. Journalism connects to democracy because, “Journalism does more than keep us informed-journalism enables us as citizens to have our voices heard in the chambers of power and allows us to monitor and moderate the sources of power that shape our lives” (Pew Research Center).