Role of Press

Essay No. 01

Democracy has least to do with the structural aspect; it is more concerned with developing democratic forces within and without. It not only allows the active participation of the people in administration it also makes them worthy of that participation. So if is to go on working vigorously and is to make people fearless so that they can defend and preserve it, it must take care of the stability of its four pillars – the Parliament, the executive, the judiciary and the press. The moment any of the pillars develops any crack, it is sure to collapse. All the four must therefore be independent, strong and free. Unless they are free they cannot be strong. But the freedom of these four organs are subordinate to the freedom of society or the people whom these are to serve. Unless they guard the freedom of the people and enable them to get the necessary strength, these will not be performing their proper function. No doubt Parliament is supreme within the constitution, but outside it, people are supreme. In fact people are the final authority in a democratic state.

The press is one of the most important pillars because it puts a check not on one organ but on all the three organs i.e., the parliament, the executive and to some extent on the judiciary as well. But is is vital for the people because people should be kept informed of what is happening. Public opinion will be difficult to cultivate or make it to assert itself unless people have the knowledge of the happenings around them. It can be done more effectively by the press; it reflects the public opinion and keeps it healthy as well. The people in power always try to camouflage their actions and decisions in words which seem to be in the public interest. It is for the press to probe deep and discover the real motive of those steps or decisions. Apart from it, it gives strength to the people, to the parliament, to the executive or to all the judiciary. It brings to the notice of all the concerned what is wrong and what is likely to impair the freedom of the people, their rights and their welfare. Therefore the independence of the press is vital. If this is not preserved, democracy will be thrown over-board.

No doubt we talk about a free and independent press and also understand the necessity, yet we do not know or we pose that we have no knowledge of the ways to secure the independence of the press. If there is dictatorship in the country how can the independence of the press be guaranteed or preserved? Again this responsibility falls on the shoulders of the people. If people are politically conscious and they have faith in democracy, they will try to give wholehearted support to the independent press. In this respect press and people are interdependent; press informs the people and people fight for the freedom of the press may be frustrated by the government if the press is not allowed to inform the people truthfully. So press despite all types of checks will have to assert its independence and objectivity to preserve democracy.

Some may think that the Government should play an important role in making the press independent. But it is wrong because the moment the government touches any of the pillars of democracy, it becomes distorted and may not be able to serve the public properly. Even if the press goes wrong a truly democratic government should not interfere. Let the public opinion put them in right place. In fact if the press indulges in yellow journalism or starts giving fabricated stories, the people will refuse to accept it as a source of information and so its circulation will drop. This is the democratic may og punishing the errant press. If the government starts making laws and starts controlling the press, it is bound to become one of the departments of the government working under the directions of the people in power. If the press does not bother about the ethics of journalism, people will have to guide the press in the right direction.

Unfortunately, politics corrodes upon the democratic structure and the party’s interests distort the function of the press. No doubt everyone should be allowed to have his own political views or economic views but we should not try to spurn the views of others as long as those views do not do any harm to our freedom of opinion and expression. This objectivity is more vital for the press as it is for the judiciary. If the Government is to be objective as it should be, press will automatically be in proper trim.

Democracy implies the right to dissent but if criticism is to become effective or useful, it must be objective and based on facts and not on prejudices. Whenever it is based on prejudice, it does not do any good. If the criticism is misplaced due to selfish motive, it can never strengthen the democratic forces. Press has the right to decide and so have the people. But people’s voice can become effective only if press supports it because that is only the effective medium of expressing public opinion. So it is only the press that can make democracy stable and workable.

It is a matter of common observation that the Parliament, the executive, the judiciary and the press must zealously guard the freedom of other three pillars because if one pillar gets weakened, all other pillars will become weak. So there is no question of contradiction among these. There is a relation of harmony among all of them and identity of interest, which is the interest of the people. The interest of the people justifies the existence of all the four otherwise there is no justification for any one of them. So if everyone balances properly, we should say no government is necessary. But that is an ideal state which perhaps may not be given any practical shape so easily.

If press is tempted into doing wrong things wither by favours or money or by threats of government, nobody can preserve independence of the country. In fact the press should guard against these types of temptations, it should have integrity. The unity of the press is vital in fundamental matters relating to the press and to the people. Of course they are bound to adhere to their opinions. Rather that is necessary for democracy. It is a common saying that only two idiots can agree on everything, and the intelligent people are sure to differ. It is the function of wisdom to show that when we work together, we coordinate our differences and act in the interest of all the concerned. This is what is assumed in democracy and this is what the press must propagate. Some times mistakes are committed but to err is human. The real danger lies in not recognizing those mistakes; one must try to see them and correct them and should not persist in them. So the press must criticise, of course in a constructive manner, the people as well as the government. If it is to achieve a high degree of integrity, it should also point out its own mistakes. The four agencies will serve as a check upon each other. This type of competition among the four agencies would make them to function properly.

Nobody can say that the press is free from the weaknesses which are inherited from the human nature. Newspaper people are also human beings. But the weaknesses are to be removed, and they can be removed if we know about them. So the press should preferably regulate itself in a manner that it consolidates democratic forces, helps in cultivating the public opinion and puts a corrective check upon the people in power. If press is to become an important agency or the Fourth Estate, it must realise its responsibility and moral-commitments to the people and to the government. If they want to enjoy their prerogatives without taking responsibilities on their shoulders, it may be difficult for them to carry on the work properly.

Essay No. 02

The Role of the Press

Outline: Art of printing made news papers possible – widely read—much reading matter at a low cost – different kinds of newspapers – various kinds of news –importance of press—educates public, helps advertisers, rouses public sentiment – a free press is a sign of a free country.

We should be thankful to him who invented printing. It is printing that enables as to have our newspapers. Newspapers are widely read. Even the poor man can afford a newspaper because of its low cost.

There are daily and weekly newspapers. There are also morning and evening editions of the same newspapers. They provide us with all kinds of news. They cater for all kinds of tastes. Sports’ lovers have a sports page; business men will scan the advertisements. Those who are politically minded will read all those articles pertaining to the government and its policies. Some read only the headlines and the editorial.

The newspaper is an important medium of advertising. Those who have goods or services to sell will advertise them in newspapers. Thus they will be able to reach a large number of consumers or clients. A newspaper is important also because it helps to educate the public. People can keep in touch with notable events both at home and abroad. It also shapes public opinion. The views expressed by the editor make people think and form their own opinion. If there is some glaring injustice or if the policies of the government are faulty, the newspapers will expose them. They will arouse public sentiment against such grievances. So newspapers play an important role in moulding and rousing public opinion in a free country.

The press is free to attack the government policies only in a free country like ours which is a democracy. If a country is not free, the press is gagged. Everything that is published in newspapers is censored by the government. This means that no one can speak the truth or criticise the government. In communist countries and under dictatorial regimes the press is not free. We should be happy to belong to a free country where we enjoy freedom of the press.

Difficult Words: Enables-makes it possible for. widely read-read by many people. cater for-provided for. through. pertaining to-referring to. connected with. medium-means. consumers-those who buy goods. clients-those who buy services. notable-important. glaring-clear. faulty-wrong. expose-bring them out. arouse-call up. sentiment-feeling. grievances-complaints. moulding-shaping gagged-silenced. censored- strictly examined.