Question

• How does a State run media threaten personal freedom?
• Why is a free press important for Walden’s positive social change mission?

Answer 1

State-run media can be threatening and worrisome. A state-run media can contribute to biases, unprofessional and extreme cases of propaganda. They can manipulate the information being presented since they are controlling what information is being distributed. They can inflate facts; therefore, if all your information is deriving from the people making the rules, then they can alter whatever information is provided. State-run media can influence what people do or say. They become a tool for marginalizing any potential political opposition or civic movement.

The propaganda we commonly see has been used for a war where information only comes from the state, therefore making the enemy worse than what they are to validate war. For example, COVID-19 is continuously on the news as different news outlets information the country of precautions, regulations, and more. Fox News could be considered a state-run media as they often propagate what the president says as accurate. With the topic of COVID, if the state says masks are not necessary or it is just the flu, then it is not that bad. If Fox News is their only source, people will think the way they are influenced to believe.

            Freedom of the press is not just important in media, but essential for every American citizen. Free speech and free press together allow people to obtain information from a wide range of sources that are not dictated or restricted by the government so that decisions and opinions can be developed and communicated. Walden’s social change mission encourages the creation of ideas, strategies, and actions that can promote worth, dignity, and development of communities, cultures, and societies (About Us, n.d.). A perfect example of the need for free press is whistle-blowers. If whistle-blowers do not feel able to speak to the media, then so many evils may remain hidden. Free press allows us to expand the scope of our knowledge and experience and enables conversations on issues of public concern. We must remember the value and importance of free press. It is a more extensive right of free expression.