To understand how people define press freedom, who they think it protects, how they think it differs from free speech and its importance to society, we spoke with 74 everyday Americans in 10 focus groups. These discussions do not reflect overall public opinion but reveal interesting insights into how people talk about these issues in their own words.
Even though many participants said they rarely think about freedom of the press in their daily lives, they broadly agreed it is important to them, viewing it as a foundational element of a functioning society. But when asked to define press freedom, participants’ answers varied widely, offering a window into the many ways Americans understand this concept.
This is part of a broader Pew Research Center study from the Pew-Knight Initiative exploring how Americans view the freedom of the press today. Read key findings from the full study, which also included two surveys of U.S. adults.
What do people think ‘freedom of the press’ is?
At the beginning of each focus group, participants were asked to define “freedom of the press” in their own words. Together, these definitions reveal that people think about press freedom in different ways, often without relying on one single definition.
However, their ideas generally converged on a recognizable core: the ability to report or publish information freely.
One man in his 50s defined it as both a right and a responsibility, saying, “The freedom of press is not only is the freedom to report actual news without fear of prosecution, but it’s also the responsibility to do that. … You have a responsibility to the people.”
Many defined press freedom as the ability to report “truth” or “facts,” often focusing on doing so “without bias.” In the focus groups, several participants defined “truth” as information that can be independently verified through multiple sources or firsthand observation.
Others emphasized the right to share one’s opinions or views without fear of punishment.
| To report what they want | “Ability to … put information out there on all sorts of things no matter how controversial” | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Ability to report freely on news stories” | ||||
| “Can say what you want with no restrictions” | ||||
| “Can say whatever they want without worrying” | ||||
| From government censorship | “Journalists and citizens can go about their business in relative freedom from official interference and investigation” | |||
| “Able to express their views without fear of government repercussions” | ||||
| “Free from undue influences from the government” | ||||
| “No censorship of the news” | ||||
| From interference from other sources | “The press can present news…without any form of censorship, from the government or other entity” | |||
| “Say whatever they want without their jobs or companies being threatened” | ||||
| “Without outside interference/influence … from the government but also billionaire CEOs” | ||||
| “Without fear of retribution or retaliation or bribe” | ||||
| To report truth or facts without bias | “To present the news in a non-biased, factual way” | |||
| “Ability to report without intentional bias” | ||||
| “Freedom to say anything as long as it’s true and not fake news” | ||||
| “Give the facts in an unrestricted way” | ||||
| To share opinions and views | “Ability to express your opinions and ideas” | |||
| “Being able to be biased or politically focused” | ||||
| “Right to express opinions outwardly” | ||||
| To report on important events | “Being able to report on the topics that are important and significant” | |||
| “Being able to report on stories that are important for the public” | ||||
| To access information or sources | “The press can have free and clear access to the place where the news is happening” | |||
| “Ability for media sources to explore, investigate, and gain knowledge” | ||||
| For the public to access information | “Ability for the public to get accurate information” | |||
| “Ability to find information … on all sorts of things” | ||||
“Americans Value Press Freedom but Differ on Its Limits”
| To report what they want | From government censorship | From interference from other sources | To report truth or facts without bias | To report truth or facts without bias | To report on important events | To access information or sources | For the public to access information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Ability to … put information out there on all sorts of things no matter how controversial” | “Journalists and citizens can go about their business in relative freedom from official interference and investigation” | “The press can present news … without any form of censorship, from the government or other entity” | “To present the news in a non-biased, factual way” | “Ability to express your opinions and ideas” | “Being able to report on the topics that are important and significant” | “The press can have free and clear access to the place where the news is happening” | “Ability for the public to get accurate information” |
| “Ability to report freely on news stories” | “Able to express their views without fear of government repercussions” | “Say whatever they want without their jobs or companies being threatened” | “Ability to report without intentional bias” | “Being able to be biased or politicially focused” | “Being able to report on stories that are important for the public” | “Ability for media sources to explore, investigate, and gain knowledge” | “Ability to find information … on all sorts of things” |
| “Can say what you want with no restrictions” | “Free from undue influences from the government” | “Without outside interference/influence … from the government but also billionaire CEOs” | “Freedom to say anything as long as it’s true and not fake news” | “Right to express opinions outwardly” | |||
| “Can say whatever they want without worrying” | “No censorship of the news” | “Without fear of retribution or retaliation or bribe” | “Give the facts in an unrestricted way” |
“Americans Value Press Freedom but Differ on Its Limits”
Some also mentioned certain rights journalists have to report the news, such as to report on important or significant events or to have access to “the place where the news is happening.”
A few definitions centered around the public’s right to be informed or access information, as opposed to rights granted to the press specifically.
Finally, some participants used the exercise to share their views on the state of press freedom today, expressing doubt that it truly exists.
How people distinguish ‘free speech’ from ‘press freedom’
We asked focus group participants how they feel freedom of the press differs from freedom of speech, if at all. Many treat the two freedoms as related but distinct.
Participants often viewed both rights as sharing a common purpose: protection from government censorship or interference. However, some distinguished the two based on who is involved and why:
- Freedom of the press often centered around individuals or organizations whose purpose is to inform the public.
- Freedom of speech often centered around individuals expressing their opinions and personal beliefs, regardless of whether those ideas are intended to inform the public.
Some participants said that because journalists and news organizations are more “professional,” they have a greater responsibility than the public to provide accurate, verifiable information. Because of this, some described press freedom as narrower and more conditional than free speech.
“I feel like the freedom of the press seems to be more restrictive than freedom of speech because I feel like anyone should be able to say basically whatever they want, unless it’s inciting violence. The press has a duty to maintain a certain qualification or trustworthiness with the people. So they have more of a responsibility to not spread misinformation, or to say lies which … ordinary people don’t really have as much of a restriction on.” – Man, under 30
Some participants said the distinction between the two freedoms is increasingly blurred, pointing to the evolving definition of “the press” as one reason for this shift. Some felt that because ordinary individuals can now document events and share information with large audiences online, they should be protected by both freedom of the press and freedom of speech.
“I think it’s collectively the same thing. It’s the same amendment. I don’t view them exclusively.” – Man, under 30
Who is ‘the press’ in freedom of the press?
Two common views came up in the focus groups when participants were asked who is included in “the press”:
- A narrow view limiting press freedom protections to traditional journalists working for news organizations. Participants often referred to some kind of official training or credentials.
- An expansive view including non-traditional media sources, independent journalists and news content creators, as well as everyday people sharing information.
A man in his 50s described the latter, saying, “Technically and literally, [freedom of the press] applies to every human being in America. No matter what you’re doing.”
Many participants said boundaries around who is included in “the press” are less clear than they used to be – a theme we’ve also found when exploring what “news” means to Americans today. As a woman in her 20s said, “I feel like the lines have been blurred. I feel like we don’t have a definition really anymore.”
Some said being a part of “the press” requires access to information, events or people that is not readily available to the general public.
“I feel like to be the press, you almost have to have a more special type of access than a regular person to be able to get the information you’re disseminating,” said a man in his 20s.
Some participants were more inclined to include nontraditional media in their definition of “the press.” Some pointed to distrust of “mainstream media” as a reason for this, while others described the rise of social media and online news as naturally blurring this distinction.
Throughout the discussions, participants held mixed views on whether inclusion in “the press” is determined by someone’s actions or their affiliation.
For example, some said news influencers are part of the press because they do research, have access to political figures or publish information for the benefit of the public. Others said that while news content creators do journalistic activities, their lack of association with a formal news organization means their work is protected by freedom of speech rather than freedom of the press.
A few groups also debated whether talk show hosts like Jimmy Kimmel are excluded from “the press” because they are comedians or included because some members of the public rely on them as a news source.
How people talk about the importance of press freedom
Across all 10 focus groups, regardless of political leanings or frequency of news consumption, participants treated press freedom as foundational, with many describing it as a pillar of democracy and a safeguard against authoritarianism – even if they said they rarely think about it in their daily lives.
Even participants who rated the current state of press freedom poorly or said they distrust the press in practice felt that losing press freedom would be catastrophic. However, some participants added that press freedom must be paired with truthfulness and responsibility to truly matter.
