Freedom of the Press

     I thought it was interesting to learn about the first American newspaper and the creation of freedom of the press. John Zenger published the American newspaper the New York Weekly Journal. In one publication he criticized the British governor for giving his friends and family high-paying and powerful jobs. The governor obviously got mad and put him in jail for slander. Zenger asked for a trial and proved that it wasn't slander, he was telling the truth. The court let him go saying that the truth is a journalists ultimate defense. This case would go on to be the foundation of the idea of freedom of the press. This idea of truth being a journalists ultimate defense was first started in America. The ideal has now been adopted by several other nations. Unfortunately, not all countries believe in this. Many journalists are put in jail or persecuted for publishing truthful things about people in power. Maybe one day there will be freedom of the press in every nation... Of course if Zenger would have lied he would have stayed in jail. Slander is still a big deal today, and press can be taken to court for it. The point being always telling the truth will be your main defense.