If you value democracy, read the news for America's 250th | Opinion
There will bemore thanthe usual July Fourth parades and fireworks to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. But if you really want to honor the democracy that the American Revolution ushered in, read the news.
Getting informed and engaged are meaningful ways to connect with some of our founding ideals: the importance of a free press, and a public empowered by information and capable of self-government. On this historic birthday, we can recommit to these American principles through news literacy: the ability to identify credible information and recognize fact-based journalism.
The term "news literacy" is nowhere in the founding documents. Yet, it's embedded in our origin story through the founders' commitment to the free exchange of ideas and civic engagement, both of which are necessary for good government.
'A popular Government, without popular information ... is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy'
The Revolutionary War was not only fought on battlefields, but also through the information and competing views circulated and debated in pamphlets, newspapers and town squares.
"A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both," wrote James Madison, a chief architect of the First Amendment.
Madison added that "a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."
Information remains the lifeblood of democracy. When people have access to credible information, they get involved in their communities. Research shows that voter turnout is higher in areas with local news, and more people volunteer and run for office as well.
A free press also acts as an important check on power: Government is more responsive, and corruption is less widespread, when reporters are watching.
Newsrooms need support now more than ever
But newsrooms are an endangered species. There are 50 million Americans now living in news deserts, communities without access to local news.
Trust in news organizations continues to erode. And press freedoms have plummeted: This year, the United States' ranking sank to 64 out of 180 nations, a drop of 20 spots over the past five years.
It may sound cliché, but democracy is truly a verb. It cannot continue to thrive unless all of us participate. Being informed is the first step. That's not easy while journalism is in free fall, and as the information landscape becomes increasingly confusing and chaotic. News literacy can help.
Much of the content that bombards us daily is unreliable or misleading. AI-generated slop means we can't necessarily trust our eyes and ears. It's no wonder many of us have tuned out.
Polls show that news avoidance is at an all-time high. Even teens are deeply cynical, with 84% using negative words like "biased," "boring" and "bad" to describe the news.
This confusion and distrust threaten our civic life. One recent poll found that Gen Z might be opting out of voting because they don't feel well-informed about the candidates or issues on the ballot.
Criticism of the press is certainly warranted when news coverage falls short or fails to meet the standards of responsible journalism. But dismissing all news organizations as biased or "fake" only builds cynicism, and honestly, it's just the easy way out. This attitude leaves cracks in our democratic foundation where disengagement, misinformation and polarization push up like weeds. We slide further apart from one another and from our founding ideals.
An informed and engaged public and a robust press keep that foundation strong. That's where news literacy comes in. We know that young people who are taught news literacy are better able to identify credible posts on social media and are more likely to engage with the news. Those who read the news, in turn, are more likely to recognize the importance of a free press in a democracy.
Across the country, educators already are empowering their students through news literacy education. These efforts are preparing Generation Z, born between 1997 to 2012, and Generation Alpha, spanning 2010-24, to become informed, active participants in their communities.
"Seeing them get so into it and understanding that they have power over what they believe and what information they take in, that is my motivation," said Miranda Stefano, a librarian in Rochester, New York, who's coleading that district's news literacy efforts.
The founders knew that a free country without a robust press and informed public engagement could not endure. They knew that the government must sit up and take notice when the people it serves are empowered with facts and make their thoughts known. An education in news literacy helps put these fundamentally American ideals into action. What better way could there be to celebrate our 250th anniversary?
Charles Salter is president and CEO of the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit that works with educators, school districts and states to ensure students receive news literacy instruction before they graduate from high school. USA TODAY and USA TODAY Network partner with the organization for National News Literacy Week.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: If you value democracy, read the news for America's 250th | Opinion
Reporting by Charles Salter, Opinion contributor / USA TODAY
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Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 6:04 AM.