Freedom of the Press: On Censorship, Self-Censorship, and Press Ethics

Since antiquity, it has been known that without the freedom to speak - and later, the freedom to publish - the road to fanaticism and totalitarianism lies wide open. This book focuses on how the press reacted when press freedom was under strain in number of cases in the 20th century, as well as at the beginning of the 21st century. Contemporary literature on the freedom of the press has focused on the role of the press in relation to democracy, how media influences democracy, how the political and the ethical aspects are managed, etc. This book looks at this central discourse. It also broadens the view by focusing on the historical and contemporary experiences, when press freedom was under strain in significant periods since the 1930s. Its geographical scope is broader than most books, and it brings together experienced journalists and known academics, adding to the dynamism of the discussion concerning censorship, self-censorship, and press ethics.