Because freedom of the press is vital for the proper function of a democracy, some argue, the news media must be held to a different standard than the suppliers of other goods and services. Although a free press is integral to the democratic process, attempting to justify it on this basis, rather than grounding it on individual rights, invites slippery-slope market failure and public-good arguments for its curtailment.
A Market Like Any Other
Against the Double Standard in Judging the Media
By Karen Horn
This
article
appeared in
the Summer 2007 issue of The Independent Review.
Civil Liberties and Human RightsCulture and SocietyEconomic History and DevelopmentEconomistsEconomyEntertainmentLaw and LibertyPhilosophy and ReligionPublic Choice