The concept of a United States citizen's right to receive information is acquiring increased judicial recognition. This report traces the evolution of that right from its philosophical basis in the United States Consitution, through its interpretation by the Supreme Court, up to the current concern that the public receive certain economic information, such as drug prices and lawyers' and physicians' fees. An examination of pertinent court cases shows that the Supreme Court has not treated the right to receive in a theoretically consistent manner. The paper concludes that the press must continue its role as the public's proxy in examining how the right to receive is exercised. (RL)