The Power of the Press in a Democratic Society

Ripples and dominoes, that is the order of the world today… Everything is interconnected and interdependent, an incident anywhere in the world can have adverse consequences anywhere else, our economies, our social structure, the very ideas and beliefs we use to identify ourselves are part of a functional global village. And THAT, is the reason why, in our interconnected world, it isn’t diamonds and jewels that are most valuable… its ‘information.’ We seek information, awareness, and most importantly, a semblance of ‘truth’ about the things we face daily.

Luckily for us, we have a way that provides us all that, something we collectively call ‘the media’. But, unluckily, as with most things of value, it is prone to exploitation. By the marketers and PR managers working for the commercialist culture or even the governments that like to ‘control’ public viewpoint by being spoon-fed their own political or commercial agendas. To inform the consciences of millions of individuals and help shape their thinking can never really be a ‘neutral’ task.

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It requires a determination of media owners, editors and journalists to discharge their duties in a manner that balances commercial imperatives, human rights, social responsibility and national vision.

It is unfortunate and disheartening that our media is notorious for processing and filtering the actual truth in many events, creating a distorted reflection that condenses innuendo, gossip, lies, rumors, speculations and suspicions into a form of entertainment, character assassination, scandal or simply packaged as a commercial product that deceives us and we don’t ever even suspect.

It’s ironic that all this is being done by the media which is fully aware of its constitutional responsibility as a guardian of democracy and watchdog of the people. In the 21st century, media has evolved into an institution with overwhelming power… the power to shape entire generations’ viewpoints. And thus is CRITICALLY important that it fully realizes the immense responsibility that comes with such power. Our country cannot afford the media operating against other community development institutions and ‘overruling’ them in issues of national importance.

Media should instead act as a watchdog for citizens by scrutinizing and reporting on political and economic excesses, and serve as a means for communication - and thus promoting social cohesion, social change, enlightenment and development. Editors and managers need to appreciate that they preside over an important national institution, whose main role and responsibility is to trace, collect and analyze information in the quest to achieve the public's fundamental right to be educated and informed. In conclusion, media remains the most important tool of empowerment any nation can give its people, and also the deadliest weapon to be used against them… it is the people, in fact, who need to understand that the power is theirs, to understand for themselves and use it effectively, use the media as a platform of enlightenment and information, and not to merely succumb to subjugation to whatever is being shown on screen. (Mariya)

• The central purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in a free society. The role of media in a modern society is not only limited to reporting and analysing specific events, but journalists are also opinion builders in their own right. In this way, the media can contribute constructively to the propagation of all that is good and true, and to entrench the processes of democracy, debates, development, and enlightenment. • The constitutionally-entrenched freedom of the media challenges that today's media to be responsible, protagonist of truth, protector of democracy and human rights, and promoter of peace, enlightenment, prosperity and development.

• The statement issued by the World Association of Newspapers during World Press Freedom Day (3 May 2005) says “media should be allowed to report freely and responsibly on issues that erode human rights. Failure to guarantee media freedom creates fertile ground for autocracy, with those in power refusing to be accountable and responsible”. • However, media freedom comes with rights and responsibilities. • Media freedom, like other constitutional rights, is only meaningful if it is contextualized within the broader national interests. In a country where accountability, respect for human rights, transparency and good governance are entrenched in the constitution, media should accept public scrutiny and constructive criticism. •

• Media is supposed to play a central role in the information society as an independent gatherer and disseminator of information. Unfortunately, this has not been happening. Its content is not determined by editorial integrity and credibility, but by market forces. It is no wonder that media content is more dominated by business and political advertisements and advertorials than balanced news, opinion pieces, editorials and reader's views. •

• Our media is flooded with images that contribute to the collapse of morality, namely fraud, corruption, gossip, voyeurism, innuendo, sex, drugs, scandals, cheating, character assassination, failed relationships, hooliganism and murder. Simply put, what damages the credibility and integrity of the media institution are stories that “have no facts and add no value” towards community development, moral regeneration, non-racialism, nation-building, and African revival. (Abdurrehman)

Media, in its pursuit of gaining high ratings and profit has become so prone to arousing sensationalism that it has been seen to cross all bounds of sensitivity and awareness of the audience watching the content they present. Sensationalism is defined as the style of reporting news to public which involves use of fear, anger, excitement and crude thrill that is overtaken by the media to increase the viewer ship, ratings, subscriptions and lastly profits. In the past few decades it has increased and is being rigorously practiced by all the channels. There is a need for the media industry to ask itself a simple question.

How can the media, using its freedom and influence, contribute to the fight against social ills, contribute in building an informed citizenry, develop role models, and contribute to advance our search for stability, sustainable development and prosperity? Throughout the democratic world, media is being put under pressure to perform its duties in a manner harmonious with national interests, and with the humanistic aspirations of humankind. Media professor Tawana Kupe once said, “The freedom of the media should never be undermined by political power, economic imperatives or journalistic excesses, because when it is lost, everyone will be a loser.”

Essay on the Freedom of the Press

The Press, as identified with Newspapers, wields immense power in a democratic society. Dickens has called the Press "the mighty engine". So great is its influence that some have called it the Fourth Estate. Napoleon used to say— "Your hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets." For, the press forms opinions, shapes movements and controls policies through well-informed criti­cism. The most powerful autocrat is forced to take note of public opinion as reflected in a free press. That is why a regimented press is the instrument of autocracy, and a dictator deprives the press of its freedom. A free press is the symbol of a free people. An independent, well-informed press is a powerful check on arbitrary governments and irresponsible administrators. For newspapers are agents of the public, which bring to the notice of the people acts of injustice or oppression, or mal-administration that would otherwise have remained hidden away from public knowledge. They augur misgovernment at a distance and sniff the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze' (Burke). They exercise a constant vigilance on the rulers, which is salutary for all.

Nowadays it is difficult for the press to be free. Either a newspaper is controlled by some financial magnates entirely and it has to voice their views or it is the mouthpiece of a party, and it must think as the party might direct; or it is under the thumb of the government and in that case its usefulness is reduced and independence compromised. For whoever controls it, necessarily limits its freedom by his own interests, i.e. calls the tune. In America, the great newspapers are in the bands of powerful financial syndicates; in England, they are in the hands of capitalists; in Russia they are mostly controlled by the government. But freedom of the press in each case depends on the way it reflects the will, the purpose of the people as a whole, in preference to that of any class or community or individual. The illusory or unrealistic character of the freedom of the press was seen during Great War. It is in such times of crisis that the voice of the people should be most clearly heard and not muffled. Yet it is then that newspapers are completely gagged. Most of these abuses might be checked to the advantage of all concerned, if the newspapers have freedom to criticise authorities and ventilate grievances. Indeed, no government can stifle the voice of the people but at its own peril. The problem, therefore, is—how to ensure freedom of the newspaper.

Legislation, of course, should guarantee the press against interference by the government; this goes without saying- But something more is necessary. The press under no circumstances should be forced to disclose the source of information or will be subservient to the government. But enjoins enjoys a corresponding duty on the part of the Press—that it should maintain strictly honest journalism and should not give any garbled report or prejudicial account. Independent-minded editors should have the right to ft free expression of opinions and unhampered publication of news, subject only to the limitation that they do not publish abuse and keep within the bounds of decorum. But real freedom of the press can exist only where a free people can function freely as in true democracy. It may be asked, why do we say there is no freedom of the press in England or America or India. The reason is that in these countries, the common people are in economic bondage. Governments are ruled by the power of money and the press is controlled by owners in the interests of Big Business. In is, therefore, rightly claimed that in a Socialist country as the people become economically free, the government acquires an increasingly representative character. The journalists then can write freely and fearlessly. The best way to ensure freedom of the press is to publish all news from accredited sources, to allow free ventilation of opinion, to do away with all controls except in the interest of public safety or welfare.

Freedom of the press should be a valued privilege and has to be safeguarded. It is a sacred right, which should be zealously promoted. Governments owe it to themselves to guarantee it from all arbitrary interference. Editors owe it to the public to maintain an honest and fearless attitude in favour of the people, against party or class interests. And the people owe it to their country to demand and defend such freedom as a priceless heritage.