Guardians of Liberty: Freedom of the Press and the Nature of News

Gr 6 Up–This book seeks to live up to the promise contained in its subtitle—explicating freedom of the press and the nature of news. Nine chapters cover everything from the partisan press in Colonial and Revolutionary America to the incendiary rise of “fake news.” In the introduction, Barrett Osborne poses a series of questions: “How does the press act as a watchdog against government abuses? Can freedom of the press exist in time of war without endangering national security? Why does it matter that different points of view are represented?” The text attempts to answer those questions by explaining the history of the press’s role in American society as well as key controversies and court cases. Sidebars and highlighted feature segments provide additional information detailing technological advances that revolutionized journalism. Notable individuals and developments in the history of the news are also described. A time line of key events, source notes, and a selected bibliography round out this title.