from "Principles of Democracy"
- A free press informs the public, holds leaders accountable,
and provides a forum for debate of local and national issues.
- In democracies the government is accountable for its actions.
Citizens therefore expect to be informed about decisions
their governments make on their behalf.
The press facilitates this "right to know,"
by serving as a watchdog over the government,
helping citizens to hold government accountable, and questioning its policies.
- Journalists should not be swayed by public opinion,
only by the pursuit of truth, as close as they can get to it. ...
...
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/principles/freepress.htm
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