Journalism’s impact on our history cannot be understated. Since it’s conception, the ability of journalism to inform the masses has shaped our modern world. The American identity is especially connected with the idea of a free press; the First Amendment guaranteeing our right to the freedom of speech, religion, assembly, petition, and press was the first to be added to the Bill of Rights, and is still regarded to be paramount to any democratic society.

The United States began because of the writings of patriots like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Samuel Adams. As our nation progressed, journalism continued to pave the way forward. Streitmatter points out the brave journalists who were not afraid to push for the truth, like Ida Tarbell, who dug deep into the dark secrets of the Rockefeller monopoly to expose their inner workings. William Lloyd Garrison, a staunch abolitionist, published The Liberator to push for an end to slavery, despite being attacked by his peers and nearly being hanged for his beliefs. His efforts are still recognized today as being instrumental in building support for abolition

American journalists have stood tall against the great villains of our history. Thomas Nast published his scathing cartoons against the corrupt “Boss” Tweed, despite all the death threats made against his family. As a result, Tweed was exposed as the crook he really was, and Nast became an icon of American journalism.

These brave journalists not only exemplify American values, like liberty and truth, they also made their mark on the world around them. As we move forward, new heroes of free speech will rise, changing the cultural landscape like those who came before them.

All the President’s Men is a film about the Watergate scandal, which rocked the nation following the 1972 election and lead to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. The movie follows Woodward and Bernstein, played by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, as they unravel the deep conspiracy surrounding the events at the Watergate.

I really enjoyed this movie because it kept me interested, even during some of the slower moments. The Watergate Scandal was a major victory for the proponents of investigative journalism, and I think that the film covered the event well. My favorite scenes are the ones where they meet with Deep Throat, their informant. The whole thing is very clandestine and tense. I love old movies, and I’d say that this one aged very well.

Spotlight is a powerful film that tells the story of the Spotlight Investigative Team, an investigative wing of The Boston Globe newspaper, and their discovery of rampant and systemic child sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic church. Starring the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAddams, the movies gives a thrilling account of the investigative process that went into the Spotlight piece, as well as the obstacles the reporters had to overcome to bring the truth forward.
I’d say my favorite scene of the movie is when the team is speaking with Richard Sipe, who was a psychologist with the church that worked to reform the pedophile priests, and they discover that the story is much bigger than they thought. Previously, they had been working off a list from another source, which only had 13 names on it, but Sipes estimated that 6% of priests in Boston could have a history of sexual abusing children. The estimate came out to 90 priests, of which the team found 87 names. I loved this scene because it shows the importance of investigative journalism and that there can be more to a story than you initially think.
Overall, I believe that Spotlight deserves the praise it gets. Though some parts may be a bit dramatized, I think that it helps the movie keep you on the edge of your seat. At the end, I was thankful that there are people out there willing to dedicate their lives to the truth.