Essay on “Influence of Newspapers” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Influence of Newspapers

In the world of today newspapers have become almost as necessary as food and clothing. This is especially true in the case of the modern educated man, who cannot enjoy his breakfast unless he has the morning’s paper before him. The world moves so fast, events happen so quickly in every sphere of life, that success is impossible without keeping in close touch with the latest developments. One must be posted up-to-date if one desires to make any progress.

The primary function of newspapers, as the name suggests, is to provide news of all kinds. The statesman is anxious to know the latest developments in the political sphere. The businessman wants correct information about market conditions; the common man has natural curiosity to learn about everything in general. A successful newspaper caters to all types of readers- scientists, sportsmen, politicians, cinema fans, businessmen, lawyers, and unemployed people.

Besides their informative character, newspapers possess a literary value. Articles by well known writers, commentaries by great men, book reviews by expert critics, all find their way into newspapers. Newspapers are a very powerful means of propaganda. They form and would public opinion. The editorials and leading articles in a newspaper exert much influence on its readers who tend to dorm their opinions in accordance with the idea expressed there. It is newspapers that help us to form judgments upon situations or developments of national importance.

Newspaper also serve as a mirror of public opinion because the public can express its views in letters to the editor, which are published in the papers. The leaders of a country can also convey their messages to the people. In this way newspapers create direct contact between the nation and its leaders.

Newspapers provide a great incentive to business. Businessmen can advertise their goods in newspapers and thus reach their customers. Newspapers contain several other advertisements which serve a very useful purpose. These are means of bringing together buyers and sellers, employers and workmen, lost children and those searching for them. Matrimonial ads, situations vacant and a number of others types of advertisements appear in the pages of modern newspapers to make it more useful and interesting.

At the same time newspapers can do great harm also. Some newspapers lower their moral tone in order to appeal to the loose sentiments of its readers. Again there are communal papers which are a threat to the unity of a country. Also there are newspapers which propagate only some form of political or social programs. They become dangerous when young people take them for truths. They mislead people by painting their opponents as bad or foolish.

The press has a sacred responsibility. It should verify every news being published and make impartial and dispassionate comments upon the various happenings in the world.  A newspaper should not serve a party or a group of people but the whole of a nation. The emergence of monopoly in this field is undesirable.

The press has been hailed everywhere as the guardian of liberty. Burke called the press gallery of British Parliament the fourth estate of the realm. The press can be and after all is the beacon light of truth and justice, if independent and disaffiliated from crippling ideologies or party politics. Hence the press should realize its tremendous responsibility towards society.