Freedom of Press

"Freedom of Press"

The modern man can be said to be molded by the press just as once he was said to have been by his barber and tailor. It means today man’s opinions, may be even his philosophy can be shaped by the papers and magazines he reads. One will no be fair from truth if one were to say one can know a man by the paper he reads. Thus we see the press has become so powerful that it has come to be called the fourth estate.

The democratic system rests upon the assumption that the citizen has access to a wide range of news and views. Only than can be form independent opinion on may important things like the foreign policy of his Government. Ultimately only this can ensure that his vote is based on fair judgment rather than determined by the coercion implicit in being forced to read and hear only the official view point. For instance a good paper may weigh the comparative merits of candidate for an election and thus help the voter.

The paper is so powerful that governments are afraid of paper. Naturally therefore government, given the chance would like to control the paper. They bring forth gagging orders such that the press cannot publish certain things. The press is not allowed to know certain news and thus pressman are prohibited from being present. The news in the paper may be highly censored so that various political parties in a country run their own papers. In England, for instance, there is the labor press as well as liberal press. In communistic countries, the party controls the press, so that no other wind expect that of the party be allowed to blow. The idea behind is quite obvious. Each party wants to propagate and broadcast its views through its paper.

The control of the press by the government through it may be desirable in times of emergency, is not so in normality’s. the control will kill the liberal growth of ideas and people will cases to grow. Just as the free air is desirable to keep the people healthy, today a free press is much important. A free ad fearless press can expose individuals and groups when they err. They may even chastise erring officials and out at the shall owners of certain government action. They may suggest a line of action and put forth proposals in schemes and projects of national importance. In short the free press can act as accelerator sometimes as also a brake sometimes.

Source: www.google.com