300 words composition on role of newspaper in forming public opinion
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Explanation:
role of newspaper in forming public opinion
The newspapers, as the voice of the people, play a very important role in a democracy like India. They form an important link between the public and the government. It is through newspapers that the public comes to know about the priorities, policies and programmes of the government.
Similarly, the government can keep itself well informed about grievances, aspirations, expectations, and opinions, etc., of the public through the press. Newspapers also supply news, views, and comments, etc., to its readers about national, international and local affairs. They help in formation of public opinion on matters of national and global importance. They not only mould but also reflect public opinion. The editorial and leading articles play a significant role in the matter.
Then there are interviews of people and personalities who actually matter. Newspapers are the real watchdogs of a democracy and of the rights and privileges of the people. Newspapers can also be instrumental in bringing out desired social, cultural and attitudinal changes in society. They may be effectively used as an instrument of national integrity, unity, harmony and solidarity and also in removing social evils, such as superstitions, evils of untouchables, dowry, communalism and casteism.
The powers and influence of the press are really unlimited. But they can be misused as well. They are like double-edged swords. In wrong hands, they may be used by vested interests and anti-social elements to further their own selfish ends at the cost of national and social interests. They may give distorted views and half-baked or false news. If confined in the hands of capitalists, they may be used to suppress and crush labour movements and anti-poverty campaigns as these pose a threat to their monopolistic ventures and business interests. In dictatorships, the press is not free and the newspapers are used only to promote the interests of a few, forming the nucleus around the dictator. Then they are not the voice of the people but the mouthpiece of the despotic ruler. It is only in a democracy that a newspaper is a common man’s representative, voice and counselor, all rolled into one.
As a friend, guide, counselor, educator, representative and voice of the people, a newspaper has to be impartial, truthful, sincere and fearless. It has to be a guardian and watchdog of the interests of the people. To perform these duties and functions, the freedom of the press is a must. Newspapers should be free to criticism or encourage government policies and activities on merit. But freedom is meaningless without fairness. There should be no biased reporting’s, comments or expression of views. If they do not observe decency, fairness and impartiality and indulge in false, misleading and biased reporting, they can make themselves liable to penal action. In India, newspapers enjoy a fair amount of freedom of expression. It was only during the Emergency in 1975 that their freedom was curtailed for a short period, but then the people responsible for it had to pay very dearly. It is the duty of the editors, reporters and journalists to be fair, impartial, honest and constructive in their profession. It is only the yellow journalism that indulges in blackmail, extortion of money and concessions or such other benefits.
A journalist, loyal to his profession, will not colour his reporting or exaggerate and distort his news. He will not betray the readers for personal gains, gifts and advantages. Yellow journalism is as great a danger to a nation and society as are the acts of smugglers, mafias, drug-traffickers and people engaged in espionage against their own country. A journalist should never forget his mission of unbiased, frank, fearless and truthful reporting. An honest, fearless and frank newspaper is a perfect antidote for political corruption, irregularities, favoritism, nepotism, and blackmail, etc., indulged in by the people in authority and power. The government and the people that run it cannot remain indifferent to criticism, comments and opinion expressed against them in the newspapers in a democracy. Sometimes the administration may try to tame a newspaper by threatening to stop advertisements to it because they are a must for the survival of a newspaper. But no newspaper, truly loyal to its commitment to the people and society, should succumb to such pressures. Rather, it should expose such conspiracy to suppress the freedom of the press.
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