ABSTRACT
The public is the greatest stakeholder in the communications realm. In a soci ety like the United States, public access to the media and free exchange of ideas is the cornerstone of our system. The viability of our society depends on informed citizens who act to set the tone for the culture and the nation, through their votes, their opinions expressed in polls, their priorities expressed in how they spend money, and through their advocacy for or against issues. The public must have access to the media to express its grievances with the status quo in order to keep the democratic organism alive and healthy. I f m edia gatekeeping causes this access to be denied, the entire democratic system is at risk.
