If we are talking about truly "disseminating information" I think we need to consider any form of broadcast or public proclamation and so as we approach the 50th anniversary of a certain speech[2] I would say the dissemination of information by an average person is absolutely fundamental to the checks and balances required to construct and maintain a free society. But therein lies the rub - just swamp the channels with noise and you raise the bar for actually transmitting a meaningful signal. This is what I was alluding to in my other comment about the way the internet has effected this age old pattern.
It's not clear what your second point is saying - it's okay to have only experts informing the public, but they cannot be afforded "special... protected status"? Like parliamentary privilege? "The fourth estate"? Freedom of speech? The right to protect their sources? I'm genuinely curious about what you mean, sorry if I've misunderstood completely.
[1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Sense_%28pamphlet%29] [2: MLK - August 28th 1963]