The media's role as government watchdog doesn't exempt it from accountability for its own excesses and abuses Freedom of the press protects the right to obtain and publish information or opinions without government censorship or fear of punishment, whether or not government finds the material offensive, or disagrees with it. Free speech enables people to obtain information from a diversity of sources, make decisions, and communicate those decisions to the government. Recently I wrote about having my press credential renewal denied by the Capitol Correspondents Association of California, appointed as an arm of the California Legislature’s Joint Rules Committee, which...