(c) Marvin Halelamien/ Brechner Center
USA Today editor Ken Paulson addresses journalists, lawyers, students and citizens in a keynote address during the first day of Summit activities.

Expressing concerns regarding the future of a free press and Americans’ views of the news media, USA Today Editor Ken Paulson advocated the importance of the First Amendment during his keynote address at the 2007 Florida FOI Summit.

Paulson spoke to a crowd of more than 200 scholars, attorneys, students and citizens to close out the first day of summit activities.

Paulson acknowledged The Brechner Center as a great resource to journalists and citizens and praised its work in open government issues and policy.

Paulson announced that he is working with news media groups including the Knight Foundation and the American Society of Newspaper Editors on a new idea they are calling “The Liberty Tree Initiative.” He said the idea is to start a nationwide campaign that would market the First Amendment to the public.

However, journalists must accept some of the blame for recent downturn in public approval, Paulson said, adding that news media outlets are sometimes far too hesitant to admit their mistakes and that does not improve the public's confidence in journalists.

Paulson said that since age 7 he knew he wanted to be a journalist. He recalled a time when superheroes, namely Superman and Spiderman, had journalist alter egos signaling the public's respect and admiration for the profession at that time.

“I think I was the only kid in America whose heart beat faster when Clark Kent came out,” Paulson said.

View photos from Ken Paulson's keynote address

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