ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the beginnings of journalism—and censorship—from early to modern times in diverse cultural contexts. While freedom of expression includes a universal right to publish in any medium without interference from governments, freedom of the press implies additional protections for news media. Through providing journalists with these privileges, the public asserts its right to receive accurate information on matters of public interest and, especially, to know the truth about how political and economic power is exercised. The disruption of information channels threatens the financial sustainability of news media and challenges journalists’ ability to fulfil their functions. A short account of news media’s role in the colonial, segregationist, and democratic phases of South African history exemplifies the evolution of press freedom, the unique social role of journalism, and the common limitations of news-media practice.
