Yes, similar to shelter, food, and energy in that they are fundamental infrastructure. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. You are right: the analogy breaks down on

Yes, similar to shelter, food, and energy in that they are fundamental infrastructure. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. You are right: the analogy breaks down on the level of mechanism of preservation. I attempted to be more general. Specifically: Journalism is a check on public and private coercion, but the mechanism is free speech. Common Carrier regulation is a check on (largely) private coercion. The mechanism is monopoly prevention (originally monopoly rejection, via AT&T breakup).