Newspapers

Truth: the ultimate defense to the press

Honestly, this wasn't really one of the lectures that gave me much interest compared to other topics in the beginning, being as that we had to first learn about all of the parts that make up the newspaper like the logo, folio, lead, column and many..many more that after writing all of it my hand couldn't take it at that point! Though afterwards, it definitely got more interesting. This was about the man who kind of almost bringing up the first amendment we see today, John Peter Zenger. He created the first English newspaper in the colonies, called Publik Occurrences. Writing continuously, he wrote about a corrupt governor who had took over the system by removing people in power to benefit in project. Soon afterwards, he was arrested for such libel against a man of higher power. After spending months in jail, he had went into court but was claimed not guilty for just a few simple, yet powerful words -

"The truth is the ultimate defense for the press."
Proving that with the proof shown, speaking out the truth, it could go against any libel made for it wasn't just a petty rumor or lie about the governor. This became such an amazing impact, where the freedom of the press starts till it is finally recorded into the 1st of 10 amendments. To me, this was something that stood out throughout the whole lecture itself for it is something that journalists use everyday. Without this, it's practically impossible to allow journalism to be right and fair as well as inform the corruption that might affect them without getting arrested for such things. Thinking over it, journalism is just now more than writing stories about occurring things..it's now a story waiting to be unfold in our eyes as we find the hidden shadows that could eventually destroy us and our rights. The statement itself..it's something worth knowing forever.