Ken Paulson, president and CEO of the First Amendment Center and past editor of USA Today, inspired the students of Iowa State to take the news media into their own hands.

Paulson spoke on Wednesday, April 11, as part of the First Amendment Day Celebrations. His lecture “Rebooting America: News for a New Generation” discussed the state of news media today, as well as the importance of the First Amendment rights.

“We do the First Amendment an extraordinary disservice when we think of it as a dusty, old document,” Paulson said.

Paulson challenged the current generation of college students to make a positive impact on the outcome of news media. He suggested that it is up to this generation to demand quality and substance in news reporting.

“You don’t have to put up with that garbage. You don’t have to put up with shallow or reckless journalism,” Paulson said.

Paulson expressed his belief that, as a generation with a disposable income, advertisers and marketers are looking toward the interests of college students in order to make the next marketing move.

“There is a window of opportunity for every generation where you can truly call the shots. You have a magical combination of youthful idealism and buying power that gives you influence,” Paulson said. “What you care about passionately will be reflected about in the news media. The future is in your hands.”

Carol Hunter, senior news director for the Des Moines Register, agreed with Paulson’s statement of opportunity that is given to Americans.

“It’s always good to hear that all can make a difference by using their First Amendment rights,” Hunter said. “I think Ken Paulson made a good point that college students have power in their hands. The challenge is how to use that power wisely.”

Paulson referenced historical occurrences in the United States in order to get at the heart of the source of power that is given to the people by the First Amendment rights. Paulson suggested that although important, this historical fact is often overlooked in grade school.

“There is a moment in American history that I think makes all the difference, yet you never learned it in fourth grade,” Paulson said.

“Your fourth grade teacher never told you that the Constitution failed, but that’s exactly what happened. The American people rejected the U.S. Constitution,” Paulson said.

Paulson explained that because Americans were weary of the central government holding too much power, they invested faith in news media.

“The American people said ‘we want someone to keep an eye on the people in power,'” Paulson said.

Paulson explains how this historic occurrence still holds great significance today.

“We need to live up to the ideals of that very first generation of Americans who believed that these five freedoms [of the First Amendment] serve as a cornerstone for truth and a catalyst for social change,” Paulson said. “This country is not great because we were founded on freedom, but because Americans knew what to do with that freedom.”

Paulson ended his lecture with a request to this generation.

“Please pursue your dreams with passion and the commitment to do the right things,” Paulson said. “There is a little bit of Superman in all of us, and, in the end, truth, justice and freedom will make all the difference.”

Following the lecture, Paulson received the Champion of the First Amendment Award.