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Every year, the second week of October is proclaimed National Newspaper Week in the United States. The Westerner, in observance of this week, pays tribute to the 1,770 daily and 9,000 weekly newspapers published in America, and realizes the importance of their place in everyday life.
Ever since colonial days, a free press has been vital in up-holding our basic rights as citizens. Freedom of the Press protects our two other great freedoms, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Worship, by putting a check on government "which no constitution has ever been able to provide." This check is the people themselves and their reaction and opinions to the news. By readers expressing their ideas in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much legislation has been passed legally supporting the readers' views.
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This fostering of public opinion presents a great opportunity to the newspaper to get things done in a community. Then, in contrast, they also have a great responsibility to the public to report the new objectively and with a lack of bias. From this news they must formulate an official opinion of the paper, by carefully weighing the facts of an issue, pro and con; for this opinion will lead the people to establish their own views. They must also recognize the rights of others and grant the leaders of opposing views space to speak in favor, of their cause.
In our free society, this process is taken largely for granted. Yet we are in the minority; for in most of the world the state, and not the people, is the supreme voice.
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