Task
1. Freedom of the press, and the words that go with it
Required
The First Amendment, fact against opinion, and libel, slander, defamation, fair comment and criticism, public figure, privacy and malice, then how all of it relates to ethics in journalism. One long discussion and the only requirement with no choice in it.
Notes and warnings
Note. This is a single discussion covering nine terms and the ethics that connect them. It is the only requirement on the badge with no choice inside it, and the one most worth preparing notes for.
Where this step comes from
- Journalism Merit Badge Requirements (Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2025-12-31), Requirement 1