Press Freedom: Still an Issue in Developing Countries

The people of Ecuador are being asked to vote in a referendum on whether the country should have a media regulator that journalists fear will inhibit of expression.

The referendum will take place on May 7, and the population will have to ask questions on a range of issues.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, based in New York is alarmed with one of the communication law. The Government wants to establish a law to create a council to regulate media content.

CPJ's executive director Joel Simon argues that the law "would open door to government censorship." On a letter sent to Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, he adds:

"We urge you to immediately withdraw these questions and respect the guarantees on free expression that are enshrined in the Constitution and international treaties."

Ecuador is not the only country dealing with press freedom. In major developing countries this is an issue that government has to face.

Press freedom is the major key of democratic societies and therefore has to be protected. This is the first step to human rights and developing countries have to be aware of that.

Remember Thomas Jefferson's words: "Our liberty depends on the freedom of press, and that cannot be limited without being lost."

Hopefully, the Ecuador's Administration will drop the project after celebrating the press freedom day on May 3.

Photo credit: http://www.wilpf.org/ via http://www.creativecommons.org/

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The Importance of the First Amendment

"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a governement, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."

Thomas Jefferson's words still resonate today, more than 200 years later. Newspapers and media are vital for our society and they are protected by many laws.

The most important one, also a creation of Jefferson, is the first amendment of the Constitution.

It is the third article of the Bill of Rights which proclaims the five freedoms of the citizens of the United States of America.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In Democratic countries, those rights have to be respected and they are protected by the Constitution or the major law of the state.

Journalists take a great advantage out of this amendment. Freedom of press is, for Jefferson, the beginning of liberty.

"Our liberty depends on the freedom of press, and that cannot be limited without being lost."

The media play such a role in the political life revolutions and contemporary state blows always begin by making media headquarters. Sometimes referred as fourth power, the press is often only extension of powers already in place.

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