The First Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits Congress from abridging the freedom of the press. No reason is provided for the protection of this freedom but the intent is clear. A functioning democracy requires that facts are widely understood because voters must be well informed if they are to vote according to their interests. For this reason, a free press is a necessary institution. However, in the marketplace any firm which is free from government intervention will ultimately be bound by the motive of profit. With this in mind, it is important to ask whether granting the press absolute freedom is the right approach to ensure it fulfills its institutional duty.
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