Is the Press Really Free

A documentary about one of the country's most respected media watchdogs: Sonoma State University's Project Censored. It exposes the existence and frequency of censorship in today's mainstream news media. It includes in-depth reports on five of the project's yearly "top ten" stories of the recent past. It investigates many of the reasons why these important news stories have been ignored by the press. And, it reveals the frightening circumstances that befall journalists who investigate the wrong stories. The film features an impressive list of media experts who discuss the various reasons behind censorship, including how corporate pressures shape news delivery, how P.R. departments and government agencies pipeline stories to the media, and how consolidation of news sources has eliminated a diversity of viewpoints in news delivery. 60 min, 2001