The weakening of the free press

Free speech has always been a fundamental pillar of America. The very first amendment states, “Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” Yet, this core value is now under attack by our government, which seeks to stamp out all opposition through various media outlets — and it is our duty to resist.

The Trump administration has already cut off all federal funding towards National Public Radio (NPR), including local broadcasting stations who rely on the funding. Without it, many of them will eventually shut down, cutting off the region from local, state, and even national news. This has created news deserts, where citizens are left in the dark and more susceptible to misinformation. These deserts continue to worsen as the lack of federal funding continues. By allowing the funding to be cut off, broadcasting stations, including New Jersey’s own NPR station, would be forced to work with limited resources, where communities are left without reliable information to hold those in power accountable. Additionally, Voice of America, another federally-funded broadcaster, originally founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, was cut off for being too “anti-Trump.”

Lawsuits are one of the main weapons the administration uses to corner private press organizations and media conglomerates into submission. The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Paramount are among the few that have been accused of defamation and sued for billions of dollars. Most recently, late night television show host Jimmy Kimmel’s program was suspended from ABC network after making comments about Trump’s insensitive reaction towards conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assasination. While late-night hosts are entertainers, they are also crucial social commentators. Punishing them for their critique enforces the idea that dissent should be met with total erasure.

The press acts as an unofficial check on the government’s power, one of the main reasons the government is going after them. The recent moves from the administration creates an environment where people learn to fear dissent and debate — a textbook move of an authoritarian government. At times, it’s easy to view it as a distant drama, not directly impacting our own school. However, the principle behind it has a trickle-down effect, which can lead right to student journalism. An attack on the press is also an attack on the public’s right to know.

Not all of these freedom of speech limitations are affecting the press; they are also affecting corporations and their rights to advertise to the public. The Trump administration has recently been working on preventing pharmaceutical prescription drug ads from airing on television and other forms of media. Although these ads can be misleading in their presentation, it is also a protected practice for the companies by the freedom of speech. Trying to ban these ads from airing would be a direct violation of the freedom of speech of the companies and is an example of how far-reaching the government’s power is over all kinds of media.

So, how can we resist? We need to support independent journalism, call out censorship, and spread verified information. We need to take the media we consume with a grain of salt and validate it ourselves. The future of American democracy depends on informed citizens.