Journalism Lesson: Press Rights

What are press rights?

• The right of media companies to prioritize profit over the public's right to know

• The right of government officials to control and censor news stories before they are published

• The right of journalists to publish any information they gain, regardless of its accuracy/potential harm

• Rights of the press to publish and share information/opinions without censorship

TRUE OR FALSE: Press freedom is NOT a threat for manipulative politicans or untrustworthy corporations

• True

• False

How do journalists earn their press rights? (HINT: more than one answer option is correct)

• Legislation

• Court battles

• Through established news organization

• By complying to professional standards

Fair report privelege gurantees that ............

• journalists can keep their sources anonymous and hidden

• journalists can report anything said in official government proceedings as long as it is an accurate account

• journalists can publish anything they want without any consequences

• journalists can attend any private event and report on whatever they want about it

When reporters publish their work, opinion privelege gurantees that they are protected......

• from stating their opinions as long as they have the evidence to back their claims up

• from having opinions that can be shared without evidence to back them up

• from revealing any private information---even if it isn't neccessary to the report

• from never having to cite their sources

TRUE OR FALSE: Journalists can criticize performers or politicians on public matters

• TRUE

• FALSE

If a journalist interviews someone involved in a crime (and isn't suspected of participating in it), they are protected from......

• having to go to court

• being arrested

• losing their jobs

• search warrants

What are shield laws?

• Laws forcing journalists to reveail their sources

• Laws that allow journalists to fabricate stories

• Laws protecting journalists from revealing their sources

• Laws that "shield" the public from talking to/about journalists

What is the issue behind open courtrooms for reporting?

• Media trial could harm defendants

• Open courtrooms cause so much public attention that it's hard for jurors to stay fair and unbiased

• Journalists tend to misrepresent legal proceedings, leading to inaccurate public perceptions

• The open courtroom causes too much time spent on preparing reporters instead of focusing on the case itself

What do laws about open meetings dictate?

• Any commissions that collect tax revenue must hold open meetings

• Only those that live in the region can attend the meetings

• You can only attend an open meeting when given permission

• All meetings must be virutal and done online