Journalism Research Guide: Freedom of the Press

From Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications Press freedom in Africa is a complex, checkered, nonlinear affair. It was mostly nonexistent during the colonial period in most of the linguistic regions of the continent. It evolved from colonial subjugation, to tight government control during the period of the one-party state and apartheid, to the relative freedom of the present.

From Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications
This article points out that that the political structures of Asian countries do not reflect a common set of “Asian values,” even though that concept is used as justification for controlling the press (or, more accurately, all outlets used for public communication).

From Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications
Of the former Soviet republics, the Baltic states have developed the most tolerant atmosphere for journalists. Most international watchdog groups that chronicle infringements on press freedom do not even include Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania in their annual reports.

From Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications
Political scientist Samuel Huntington has written that “democracy is a solution to the problem of tyranny, but not necessarily to anything else.” The problems faced by the Latin American press are in a real sense the problems of Latin America as a whole: poverty, violent conflict, inadequate economic development, chronic inflation and substantial external debt, and political leaders who in some cases are not fully committed to the rule of law.

From Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications
The authoritarian regimes, quasi-police states, oligarchies, and military-backed governments that dominate the political landscape of the Middle East and North Africa provide formidable obstacles to press freedom and independent journalism.

Publication issued periodically, usually daily or weekly, to convey information and opinion about current events.

Local, national, international, or technical organization that gathers and distributes news, usually for newspapers, periodicals, and broadcasters.

Publication brought out periodically, typically containing articles, essays, short stories, reviews, and illustrations. It is thought that the first magazine was Le Journal des savants, published in France in 1665. The first magazine in the UK was a penny weekly, the Athenian Gazette, better known later as the Athenian Mercury (1690-97).

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Even though both tabloids and broadsheets are newspapers, they do not have the same content. Importantly, if both styles of newspaper report on the same news event, they are likely to choose a different angle, or emphasize different features of the story. In short, the content and style of broadsheets and tabloids are as different as their physical layout.

From Key Concepts in Public Relations
The editor is the most senior member of the editorial staff of any news organisation and is consequently judged accountable for all editorial decisions.

From Key Concepts in Public Relations
Journalists get a bad press! Their public reputation could hardly be lower. A MORI poll in 1993 discovered that while 83 per cent of respondents trusted teachers and doctors to tell the truth and 14 per cent trusted politicians, only 10 per cent trusted journalists to be honest.

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
The writer of an essay appearing regularly in a newspaper or periodical, usually under a constant heading.