Because it’s usually the newspapers that lead the fight to preserve freedom of the press, some people tend to consider the First Amendment guarantee a special privilege for the news media. This is not so, of course. Freedom of the press means the right to a free flow of responsible information and opinions to the public without government interference or censorship. Its purpose is to protect the public’s rights. In the broad sense, when newspapers speak out against suppression of public information, they are defending the interests of the eo le. pTlh,e theme for National Newspaper Week Oct. 10-16 focuses on that idea. It says; “A Free Press–Your Key to Freedom.” ‘Freedom of the- press is the only way we can be sure to maintain all other freedoms,” said Dave West, manager of the Illinois Press Association and this year’s chairman for Newspaper Week. Despite the constitutional guarantee, a free press isn’t always automatic. Rather, keeping public information flowing is a day-to-day effort waged by reporters, editors and others of the media. Often there are barriers. Public officials unaccustomed to the idea that the public’s business belongs to the people sometimes use tactics of secrecy. Occasionally meetings are closed to the press despite open meeting laws. Some public servants volunteer information readily if it’s favorable to them but keep it under wraps if it’s “negative.” Efforts are being made in Congress to tighten the Freedom of Informatioin Act, and the White House is abetting this with an executive order making it easier for government officials to attach secrecy labels to govemment information. Possibly the task of preserving safeguards to press freedom is more challenging now than ever before. National Newspaper Week can serve a good purpose if it tends to unite all news media in the fight. Equally important is for the public to lend its support and to understand the stakes involved-that ultimately it’s the peoples rights which must be protected. ‘Your Key to Freedom.” Yes, it’s a theme that has meaning for everybody. To reiterate, freedom of the press is vital in preserving all other freedoms.