--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An independent and free media is…" description: "\"An independent and free media is essential to ensure democracy.\" — Warren Christopher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg" --- # An independent and free media is essential to ensure… ![“An independent and free media is essential to ensure democracy.” quote by Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg) > “An independent and free media is essential to ensure democracy.” [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote asserts that a free, independent press is vital for a functioning democracy. **In simple terms:** Free media is essential for democracy Key Takeaway Support independent media to safeguard democracy Themes democracy media freedom civil liberties Mood concerned hopeful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - journalistic practice - civic education - government transparency initiatives Key Concepts press independence public discourse accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect press independence? - What role does media play in democratic health? A Different Perspective Media independence can be threatened by political pressure ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Ensure Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ensure-democracy-5466712/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Free Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-media-813166/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Independent Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-free-1942522/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Media Essential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media-essential-3537980/) ## Related quotes > [Free media is very essential for the democratic process and... development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailemariam-desalegn/free-media-is-very-essential-for-the-democratic-process-and/) [Hailemariam Desalegn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailemariam-desalegn/) > [It is not true at all that a free market will ensure a democracy. It doesn't. There must be a balance between a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/it-is-not-true-at-all-that-a-free-market-will-ensure-a-democracy-it/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [A lot of people think journalists are criminals, and there are some who haven't helped us. But the media is essential for democratic society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/a-lot-of-people-think-journalists-are-criminals-and-there-are-some/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [A flourishing, diverse media is essential to a functioning democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/a-flourishing-diverse-media-is-essential-to-a-functioning-democracy/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [“One becomes independent (free) from the moment one realizes the principle that, ‘No living being is able to interfere with another living being to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/one-becomes-independent-free-from-the-moment-one-realizes-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [I made these Sierra trips, carrying only a sackful of bread with a little tea and sugar, and was thus independent and free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/i-made-these-sierra-trips-carrying-only-a-sackful-of-bread-with-a/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [“I accept that I am affected by the things that affect me. I am independent and I am free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-constable-b-1976/i-accept-that-i-am-affected-by-the-things-that-affect-me-i-am/) [James Constable b.1976](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-constable-b-1976/) > [“Be independent so you can be one who is free and get ahead. I’timad ‘ala nafsi, depend on yourself, not others. God’s help is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-fuadi/be-independent-so-you-can-be-one-who-is-free-and-get-ahead-i-timad/) [Ahmad Fuadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-fuadi/) > [“In one month, he earned in free media about what John McCain spent on his entire 2008 campaign.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/in-one-month-he-earned-in-free-media-about-what-john-mccain-spent-on/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [You can't have a free democracy if you don't have a free media that can provide vital and independent information to the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/you-can-t-have-a-free-democracy-if-you-don-t-have-a-free-media-that/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Remember Donald Trump had about $4 billion worth of free media, and Hillary Clinton has had about $2 billion, and we've had zero. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/remember-donald-trump-had-about-4-billion-worth-of-free-media-and/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ He \[Donald Trump\] is gotten $4 billion worth of free media. They launched his campaign. As I think the president of CBS said, you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/he-donald-trump-is-gotten-4-billion-worth-of-free-media-they-launched/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [There is no more important struggle for American democracy than ensuring a diverse, independent and free media. Free Press is at the heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/there-is-no-more-important-struggle-for-american-democracy-than/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Hamas cannot stand free media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amira-hass/hamas-cannot-stand-free-media/) [Amira Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amira-hass/) > [We need a free media, not just freedom of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-scholz/we-need-a-free-media-not-just-freedom-of-speech/) [Tom Scholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-scholz/) ## More by Warren Christopher > [When I was a very young lawyer, I had a senior partner who advised me never to get mad, except on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/when-i-was-a-very-young-lawyer-i-had-a-senior-partner-who-advised-me/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [Environmental degradation, overpopulation, refugees, narcotics, terrorism, world crime movements, and organized crime are worldwide problems that don't stop at a nation's borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/environmental-degradation-overpopulation-refugees-narcotics-terrorism/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I had all of one nanosecond to savor the news before we had to move on to other problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/i-had-all-of-one-nanosecond-to-savor-the-news-before-we-had-to-move/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I've got many close friends, but there's an awful lot about friendship that is not demonstrative in my case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/i-ve-got-many-close-friends-but-there-s-an-awful-lot-about-friendship/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [Hamas, the opponents of Arafat, the opponents of peace, urged a boycott of the election, and yet there was an 85 percent turnout where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/hamas-the-opponents-of-arafat-the-opponents-of-peace-urged-a-boycott/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [We have a human rights interest. Then there is the immigration problem. The human-rights violations have caused people to take to boats and flood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/we-have-a-human-rights-interest-then-there-is-the-immigration-problem/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I'm very skeptical about the good intentions of Milosevic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/i-m-very-skeptical-about-the-good-intentions-of-milosevic/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [The stakes are very high for us in Haiti. We have many important interests there. Perhaps the most important to me is our interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/the-stakes-are-very-high-for-us-in-haiti-we-have-many-important/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [Only two countries in this hemisphere are not democratic, but many countries in both Central and South America, and in the Caribbean, are really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/only-two-countries-in-this-hemisphere-are-not-democratic-but-many/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I ask the Philippines Government to put an end to journalists' killings by giving journalists' safety the priority it deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/i-ask-the-philippines-government-to-put-an-end-to-journalists/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [It's very important to always put things in their historical contexts. It teaches important lessons about the country in question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/it-s-very-important-to-always-put-things-in-their-historical-contexts/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [We've worked with President Yeltsin. He is the President of the country. He's been a reformer. We've been able to accomplish a number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/we-ve-worked-with-president-yeltsin-he-is-the-president-of-the/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [Both sides were supposed to release all their prisoners, those were unconditional. There was some prisoner release that took place but it's not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/both-sides-were-supposed-to-release-all-their-prisoners-those-were/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I don't want to talk about intelligence matters. I will say, however, that intelligence-community estimates should not become public in the way of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/i-don-t-want-to-talk-about-intelligence-matters-i-will-say-however/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [The United States has done more for the war crimes tribunal than any other country in the world. We're turning over all the information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/the-united-states-has-done-more-for-the-war-crimes-tribunal-than-any/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) [Explore all 41 Warren Christopher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An independent and free media is essential to ensure democracy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Warren Christopher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/an-independent-and-free-media-is-essential-to-ensure-democracy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/an-independent-and-free-media-is-essential-to-ensure-democracy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/warren-christopher-15978_democracy_an-independent-and-free-media-is-essenti_1494662.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An independent and free media is essential to ensure democracy.” — Warren Christopher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Warren Christopher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An independent and free media is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/an-independent-and-free-media-is-essential-to-ensure-democracy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/an-independent-and-free-media-is-essential-to-ensure-democracy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```