"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.
Source: www.google.com
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.
