UN General Assembly
1946

The collaboration of the press — the fourth estate of the realm — constitutes a further element of essential importance if political activities and international negotiations are to develop with a minimum of obstruction. Freedom of information and publicity of the proceedings of international conferences are indispensable, in order to avoid any policy which may tend to distort or obscure the truth. It is also essential, however, to renounce all campaigns tending to exaggerate disagreements between the States, and to insist, on the contrary, upon the presentation of constructive news. In other words, the settlement of disputes and the achievement of positive results call for equal or even greater attention than do the friction and difficulties which still remain, pending some arrangement or procedure appropriate for their settlement. Thus a contribution will be made towards the peaceful and democratic orientation of public opinion: thus it will be possible for the peoples to form a well-founded and exact idea of the situations which may jeopardize international peace and security.