Published a century ago as the young Walter Lippmann’s fifth book, the slim volume merits a fresh read in our post-truth moment. Republished in this mediastudies.press edition with a new introduction by Sue Curry Jansen.
Liberty and the Newswas published a century ago, the young Walter Lippmann’s fifth book. The slim volume merits a fresh read in our post-truth moment. “In an exact, sense,” Lippmann writes, “the present crisis of western democracy is a crisis in journalism.” For Lippmann, liberty constitutes a method, not a series of prohibitions and permissions. The book’s aim is to identify and examine potential reforms to boost the reliability of news—a project as relevant today as it is unfinished. Liberty and the Newsis republished in this mediastudies.press edition with a new introduction by Sue Curry Jansen.
“Of the power of the press much has already been said and written, but no criticism and appreciation of the modern newspaper more subtle and searching than that contained in this little volume has yet been published.”
Robert E. Park (1921)
“In a single day, I read the text, making notes about almost every page. What I learned startled me, like discovering an ancient scroll meant to be found a century into the future, unearthed just in time to rescue civilization from catastrophe.”
Roy Peter Clark (2018)
Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) was an American journalist and public philosopher. Sue Curry Jansen is professor emeritus of media and communication at Muhlenberg College.
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