Essay on power of press and media
Answers
Answer:
Power of the Press
The press is a great power to be recokoned with. As such the newspapers play a vital role in our life. They have become a first interest in the morning for the majority of educated people all over the world. The educated people would prefer to miss their morning tea or breakfast to reading of a newspaper. The newspapers give them latest news from home and abroad. They bring the whole world at their doorsteps. A newspaper is the cheapest, the most popular and the easiest means of information and knowledge. A newspaper is virtually an encyclopedia of day-to-day information. That is why newspapers are so popular. We cannot think of our life without newspapers.
In recent times there has been great expansion of the press in India. There are over 4000 daily newspapers being published in Hindi, English and the regional languages. There are over 20,000 periodicals—weeklies, bi-weeklies, fortnight-lies, monthlies, etc. They form a vital link between the public and the government. On current problems and issues of national importance there are editorials, leading articles and comments. These educate the, public about them. They guide, mould and also reflect the public opinion. The readers publish their grievances, opinions and comments on sensitive and vital issues through the press. It helps the government and administration to know the mind and the mood of the public at large.
The newspapers educate people, bring about desired social changes and generate public awareness about many problems. They have helped in producing environmental consciousness among the people, in the removal of untouchability, casteism and communal narrowness. They create a favourable atmosphere for family planning, abolition of evils of dowry, child-marriage, etc. During national crisis they help increase in public morale and boost unity and integrity. They make the readers conscious both of their rights and duties and disseminate knowledge.
Explanation:
They are also a great source of entertainment, education, making matrimonial alliances, advertising and selling of commodities. There are many educative, informative and entertaining articles, poems, stories, etc., in their magazine sections. Besides their cultural and educative value, the newspapers boost economic development and business both in the public and private sectors. They help diversification of the interests of the readers through their various columns on sports, commerce, economics, education, literature, politics, editorial, etc. They widen their horizon of outlook and under-standing and thereby add a new meaning to life.
The significance of the press is becoming more and more vital. The freedom of the press in a democratic country like India is of great importance: The press is the watch dog of democracy and the free expression. Personal freedom is the essence of democracy and it is reflected in the freedom. The press enjoys in the country. Liberty of press is an essential” ingredient of democracy. The newspapers should be free to critcise, condemn and warn the administration when they feel so. It should be left to the press to expose the wrong-doings of the government. It was, the press who exposed Richard Nixon in the U.S. and Antulay in Maharashtra in India. Whenever there has been an attempt to ‘Curb the freedom of the press, there have been mass movements and upsurge. It is in our interest as well as in the interest of the party in power that the press is allowed to work unfettered and unbiased. Any repression imposed on the press goes against the very basic tenets of democracy. It is the press that exposes and checks dictatorial tendencies. We have seen how the press helped the overthrow of Mrs. Indira Gandhi after Emergency.