What is Press Freedom? A Study on Journalism Students’ Perception of Press Freedom

Press freedom applies to journalists working in conditions where press freedom is denied or threatened, as well as to journalists who feel the pressure of downsizing of news staff and polarised opinions. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the aim of this paper is to examine how journalism students in France, Palestine, Uganda and Norway define press freedom. We find that the students’ definitions were in line with the historical and liberal roots of the concept, and that in all four countries the professional work, the role of journalism and journalism’s autonomy were highlighted. They recognised the complexity of press freedom as well as the difference between an ideal situation and real conditions on the ground.