Freedom of the press: well, if one is to discuss the freedom of the press, one must assume its position towards it. We are for the freedom of the press, to speech etc.
Liberals defend that if a country is to be free, this condition must appear: the press must be free. That we agree - but, if we take a closer look, how free is the press around the world? In the US, the great media industries are controlled by few (take Fox News, controlled by Rupert Murdoch, or CNN, controlled by Time Warner TBS AOL, or ABC controlled by Disney). In Italy, the same happens: Berlusconi and friends own 90% of Italy´s televisions networks. Not only that, in Italy, 10% read the newspapers and the majority of the population do no rely on internet for information. Around the world, the media (TV and newspapers) situation follow the same pattern.
Some may say: “But what about the internet? Everyone can access everything without restrictions, everything is available!” On theory, yes, but again, a closer look indicates that the most visited sites in the world are Google, Wikipedia, Facebook and News portals such as CNN, BBC-UK, MSN.com, Spiegel etc.
One may object: “Can´t you see? The most viewed sites are Google and Wikipedia, and while accessing them, one can find out about anything!” Again, we would agree, but what kind of search people do? Make-ups and TV stars, or about the maoist guerrilla fighting in India? Brad Pitt is much more appealing than class struggle issues in Asia.
The problem is much more complex than it may appear: not only the press is not totally free, but also people are alienated from what it really matters. Let´s take another example: The Death of Osama bin Laden. We agree that he had to face justice. However, what effectively changed after his death? Obama´s public approval, for sure, but what about Fundamentalism? Has it changed? US´s geo-political decisions? Nothing has changed, at all. One must start to ask the questions that really matter: what does this event mean to freedom and equality around the world? Why is there Islamic Fundamentalists such as Bin Laden? What social-economical and political conditions made such fundamentalism arise? How free is the Press if these questions are not answered, or even worst, are not even formulated?
Can there be freedom of the press and freedom of speech when only few have the power to control the information? A limited freedom perhaps, but freedom to speech and to information cannot be limited - if so a new name has to be found: such as prison of the press.
