fReEdOm Of SpEeCh ?

Today’s press is now very much, if not entirely, commercially driven which means that the nature of the press must be highly determined by its readers’ interests if it wants to stay in business and remain a success. Therefore newspapers and magazines must respond to the concerns of their readers in order to stay in business. Every publication is tailored to a specific target audience, for example The Daily Mail today is targeted towards middle aged, middle class women who favour the conservative political party, therefore the majority of subjects and issues written about in The Daily Mail must sway towards conservative right wing views and be in the interests of middle aged middle class women. It is important for publications to remain consistent with the stance and opinion that their articles hold. This is because if the Daily Mail were to publish several articles favouring labour for example, this may cause a loss of readership, as it will be against the audiences’ favour. So, despite the now strong existence of freedom of speech, it is necessary for journalists to comply and favour with the interests of their readership in order for these readers to remain loyal to a specific newspaper, which will then in turn maintain profits, which is a modern day newspapers main goal and focus.

Throughout history since the launch of newspapers, the government has had control over what could be printed which has then limited the journalist, due to the fact that the government did not want the public to act on the stories printed. Over time these rules have been enforced with new rules on libel among other things resulting in journalists being even more limited to what they write when it comes to famous, well known personalities, politicians, government and many more.

Although it is said that freedom of speech is said to be constant in Britain, it is very limited and must follow a number of important rules for it to go unquestioned. Is this really freedom? 

Dissent is vital because it helps to preserve truth, since truth can easily become hidden in sources of prejudice

a viewpoint’s popularity does not necessarily make it correct

i’m struggling to find a way to word it, and I’m supposed to be a wordsmith.