Role of Press in Democracy

Role of Press in Democracy: The media provides political parties with tools to connect with many people and share important information on topics like policies and elections. It helps democracy by making sure voters are well-informed, which can result in a government that is seen as more legitimate.

The press or media is regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy. It acts as a source of empowerment for the citizens handles effectively the data of multiple sources and is responsible for providing unbiased and democratic values sustained data to the citizens of the nation.

In this article, we will read about the pivotal role of the press in a democratic society, highlighting its significance in upholding transparency, accountability, and the dissemination of information.

Read More: Media and Democracy

Role of Press or Media in a Democracy

The press is the newspaper, or the written media which circulates the nation informing the citizens of the ongoings, and happenings of the government, functioning bodies of the country, certain international relations, opposing and ruling governments, feedback, criticism, etc. The press, or the newspapers media in particular talks about all the news happening in the country or around the world. It works toward increasing public interaction with the government and vice versa. Once a political party gets elected, the interactions with people become minimal. The press helps in increasing the involvement of the public in issues of national importance. For the cases regarding the betterment of the public, the views of the citizens are shared so that the government is aware of what the people want and what are they trying to give, the areas of improvement, etc.

History of Press – Press during British Rule

During British colonial rule, the press in India faced stringent regulations and censorship. The Vernacular Press Act of 1878, enacted by the British government, gave authorities the power to clamp down on newspapers that were perceived as seditious or critical of the colonial administration. This marked the beginning of the struggle for a free and independent press in India.

Censorship in Press or Media

Censorship is defined as a cease or stop on the press or media. This happens when the government feels that the press is going highly against it and that it might change people’s perspectives regarding it. That’s when the press is forced to stop publishing any such news. Many cases have occurred previously, one such being during a situation of emergency when censorship was imposed as all the media handles were constantly criticizing the then government. At that time a ban was imposed on all media and press. Another such case was during the times of British rule when the Indian media was against the ruling of the British government and it had been constantly making people aware of their freedom rights, the British government put a ban on many newspapers, one such being the Kesari newspaper, which highlighted the freedom struggle and was the mouth of conveyor for freedom.

Landmark Cases

• Romesh Thapar v. State of Madras (1950): In this case, the Supreme Court of India upheld the freedom of speech and expression, emphasizing the significance of a free press in a democratic society. The court declared that the government could only impose reasonable restrictions on the freedom of the press in the interest of public order, security, and morality.
• Brij Bhushan v. State of Delhi (1950): The Supreme Court, in this case, asserted that pre-censorship of a newspaper was a drastic measure and should only be resorted to when absolutely necessary. The judgment reinforced the idea that any restriction on the freedom of the press must be reasonable and in the larger interest of the public.
• Indian Express Newspapers v. Union of India (1985): The court, in this landmark case, reaffirmed the independence of the press and its role as a watchdog. It stressed that the press should be free from government interference, and any attempt to stifle the media’s independence would be a threat to democracy itself.

Importance of Press in Democracy

Press as stated previously is the fourth pillar of a democratic country. It’s prime time task is to always first provide news that is unbiased and fair to people and then think of the benefits and not opposite. Here are a few points that state the role of press in democracy :

• Today when the press can be both physical and social it has become a lot more easier to convey information to the masses. Regarding any failure to execute a particular rule, or a law the press in social terms describe about the situation and make the public aware of the happenings. As today social media is the only place where maximum number of people socialize.
• It acts as a strong opposition after the other opposition party in the country. It’s task to criticise the wrong doings of the government and praise the positive sides along with making the public aware of how the laws formulated or the rule might help them or not, all falls under a good and strong opposition. This ensures a check on the ruling dispensation and they work with a thought that the press is watching them and that the news of non working scenarios can be out to the people. This ensures enhanced hardwork and focus from the ruling dispensation.
• In a democratic country like ours, where Article 19 states that every individual has the right to express himself and that he or she has the freedom of speech and expression to convey whatever he or she wants. This is where the role of press comes into play. Where people today can voice out their opinions on social media handles, the press comes in handy in helping citizens exercise their rights to speak. Any person of the nation can speak for or against the government without any second thought and this message is conveyed by the media to the government. It thus, acts as a source of communicator between the government and it’s people. Press, thus, helps in promoting the ideals of the constitution.
• Press is considered to be a highly influential source that can influence a set of certain beliefs of people and can change their mindset accordingly. For eg. If a press is biased and is against a particular political party, it will present itself with certain facts and data that will make the person believe in the press. However, this does not augur well with a democratic country.
• The press helps in addressing the problems being faced in the country which any political party, or in particular the ruling dispensation might not say due to the fear of losing in further elections. However, the press is unbiased and shows the truth to the society.

How a Press should work in a democracy?

• The press is the one which shows the truth to the society. People thus have a lot of expectations from the press and believe on it by closing their eyes as they feel that what the press shows is impartial and is thus, capable of changing the people’s perspective. Thus, a press must be unbiased and not show partiality in showing the news to the citizens.
• The press should not be supportive of any particular political party and must be neutral in order to show the right and all correct news to the country. It must have a broad perspective and must be able to analyze and observe every doings, be it of the ruling party or the opposition.
• The press should be non-polarised and should have an unbiased and neutral opinion. It should show the truth to the society, being fearless of any authorities and should make the citizens aware of the rights they have and that they are supposed to exercise them at certain scenarios.

Limitations of Press in Democracy

Here are some of the limitations of press in democracy:

• Although the press displays values of truthfulness, there are certain situations where the press might lag. This statement can be proved by the statistical data that stated that out of 180 countries, India ranked 142 in the terms of press freedom and news it provides. The press at times can be highly partial and that they show only the positive sides of the ruling dispensation and not the criticism which they require. This disrupts the very thought and essence of democracy.
• In many countries, such as The United States, certain areas of press have been owned by private institutions which thus take away their freedom of writing anything that is truth and honest. They get packed in a certain boundary and are supposed to write according to the rules and regulations of the private institution they are governed by.
• Press nowadays has become a tool for major political parties. They use it as a medium to display only the good pictures of themselves and thus the public remains unknown about the reality. For eg. The communist party in China restricts the press and media to show certain stuff on the internet or in the newspapers. The press shows only what is being allowed by the government to be shown. This however is not a good principle of democracy.

Conclusion – Role of Press in Democracy

The press in India has come a long way from its struggles during British rule to becoming an essential pillar of democracy. The constitutional safeguards and landmark judgments have played a crucial role in upholding the freedom of the press. However, as the landscape evolves, it is imperative to address contemporary challenges to ensure that the press continues to fulfill its democratic responsibilities. A vibrant and free press remains indispensable in fostering an informed and engaged citizenry, thereby strengthening the foundations of democracy.

People Also Read:

• Development of Indian Press During British Rule in India
• Local Media – Introduction, Importance and Functions
• World Press Index 2023
• The Role of Newspapers in the Indian Struggle for Freedom

FAQs on Role of Press in Democracy

How does press contribute in democracy?

The press contributes by providing answers to the people’s questions by giving them right and unbiased news and handling multiple sources to provide the right information.

What is the press considered in a democracy?

The press is considered as the fourth pillar of a democratic country.

What challenges the press faces in maintaining it’s role in democracy?

The press faces censorship which means that if the news does not augur well with the ruling government then it might impose a ban on the news it posts.

How does press act as a bridge between the government and the public?

It is responsible for providing accurate information of the government to the public and the demands and challenges being faced by the people to the government.

What is the importance of press in a democracy?

Press is important to make the citizens aware of issues of national importance and how can they contribute in the process of decision making by voicing out their opinions.