write an essay on newspaper the fourth pillar of democracy

Freedom Of Press: Fourth Pillar Of Democracy

By Rahul Deo, CNLU Patna

Editor’s Note: Freedom of speech and expression is the blood of democracy, palpitation of democracy, control of the government and creates awareness among the people. Blood removes the dead cell in the same manner freedom of speech and expression removes the arbitrary government and place a democratic government. This paper evaluates the contribution and necessity of freedom of the press in a democracy.

Introduction

The liberty of the press is the palladium of all the civil, political, and religious rights. [i] In a democratic set up the press can act as a bridge between the government and the people. This right is very important at the stage of the formation of the government. Democracy can not survive without this right. Press is the fourth pillar of democracy, which exercises this right of freedom of speech and expression.

The rights originate from the US constitution. The role of media is important as a feedback, exposure, and conduit mechanism in all countries. Most citizens receive their information about what is going on in the government, and how it affects them, through the filter of the media.

The media have also played a traditional watchdog and gadfly role, in investigating misbehavior by politicians and officials and private business, a role traditionally summarized as “ comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable .” The media is thus a crucial instrument of accountability, in addition to being an instrument of communication. A free press and free media rank along with an independent judiciary as one of the two institutions that can serve as powerful counter forces to corruption in public and private life.

The Freedom of the press is regarded as a “ species of which freedom of expression is a genus. ” [ii]  Freedom of the press is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials. While such freedom mostly implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state, its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other legal protections.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: [iii]

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”.

In general, we can say that Freedom of the press is the freedom of communication & expression through vehicles including various electronic media & published materials. While such freedom mostly implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state, its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other protection.

The fundamental right of the freedom of the press implicit in the freedom of speech and expression is essential for political liberty and proper functioning of democracy. Freedom of Press has perpetually been a cherished right in all democracies. “Growth and development of representative democracy are so much intertwined with the growth of press that the press has come to be recognized as an institutional limb of modern democracy ”.

In India before Independence, there was no constitutional or statutory guarantee of freedom of an individual or media/press. At most, some common law freedom could be claimed by the press, as observed by the Privy Council in Channing Arnold v. King Emperor [iv] :  “The freedom of the journalist is an ordinary part of the freedom of the subject and to whatever length, the subject, in general, may go, so also may the journalist, but apart from statute law his privilege is no other and no higher. The range of his assertions, his criticisms or his comments is as wide as, and no wider than that of any other subject.”

The press freedom is about the power being centered in the specific issue that is supported by different technological aspect in bringing the information and communication. The freedom of expression is an evolving issue around the world and different countries are attempting to provide such law in which people can fully embrace their right.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Indian Press has a long history right from the times of British rule in the country. The British Government enacted a number of legislations to control the press, like the Indian Press Act, 1910, then in 1931-32 the Indian Press (Emergency) Act etc.  During the framing of the Constitution, the founding fathers bestowed enormous significance to Freedom of the Press. B. N. Rao, the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly assured that freedom of the press was included in the guarantee of freedom of speech and expression and it was hardly necessary to provide for it specifically.

Dr. Ambedkar said that we don’t want to give absolute rights to the press because it has two aspects. The right could be given to the first aspect of the press and not to the second aspect. The press is a right of expression. The Constitution of India in Article 19(1) (a) lays down that “ All citizens shall have the right, to freedom of speech & expression and it includes the right to press also.”

This concept has been warranted by the Supreme Court of India. In numerous judgments the Supreme Court has ruled that Freedom of the Press is contained in the guarantee of freedom of speech and expression in Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution. The freedom of press means freedom from interference from authority which would have the effect of interference with the content & circulation of newspapers. [v]

In the view of democracy, it only means that people or the citizens can enjoy full freedom of speech and expression and can be only restricted within the reasonable subject. During the era when the press council in India felt anxiety, the birth of the Media Law is implemented and followed by the Press Regulations that significantly had an impact on the publishing industry.

Next is the introduction of the compulsory licensing for owning and running the printing presses which is typically empowered by the government. This action simply means to prohibit the publication or circulation of any newspaper, book, or other printed material. The banning of the publication or dissemination created a commotion against the government that effectively weakened the power of authority.

This process continued and through the years brought a significant change and created a fundamental right in the constitution. The entire developed article in the institution of the country speaks about the freedom to express and expression and the birth of the Press Council in India.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

Article 19(1) (a) of the Indian Constitution states simply that ‘ all citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression ’. The companion Article, Article 19(2) qualifies this right by providing that the State can impose reasonable restrictions on its exercise:

1. In the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India

2. The security of the State

3. Friendly relations with foreign States

4. Public order

5. Decency or morality or in relation to contempt of Court

6. Defamation or incitement to an offense

The Indian Constitution, while not mentioning the word “press”, provides for “the right to freedom of speech and expression” (Article 19(1)(a)). However this right is subject to restrictions under sub clause (2), whereby this freedom can be restricted for reasons of “sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, preserving decency, preserving morality, in relation to contempt, court, defamation, or incitement to an offense”. Laws such as the Official Secrets Act and Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act [vi] (POTA) have been used to limit press freedom. [vii]

Article 19(1)(a) does not refer specifically to the freedom of the press as does, say, the corresponding provision in the American Constitution, but judicial decisions have repeatedly affirmed that the Article is sufficiently wide to include the freedom of the press and, by extension, the freedom of other mass media.

In Romesh Thapar’s Case [viii] , and in several subsequent cases strict and narrow limits have been placed on the Legislative powers to abridge the right conferred by Article 19(1) (a). Any restriction on Article 19(1) (a) can only is valid if three conditions are met –  It is supported by the authority of law, The law in question is related to one or more of the permitted heads of restrictions laid down under Article 19(2); and

The restriction is reasonable. It is also necessary that the procedure and the manner in which the restriction is imposed be just, fair and reasonable. [ix]

In India, freedom of the press has been treated as part of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, vide Brij Bhushan and Another vs. State of Delhi , [x] and Sakal Papers (P) Ltd vs. Union of India , [xi] among others. However, as mentioned in Article 19(2), reasonable restrictions can be placed on this right, in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offense. Hence, freedom of the media is not absolute freedom.

MEDIA: FOURTH PILLAR OF DEMOCRACY

Freedom of press has always been a cherished right in all democracies. “Growth and development of representative democracy are so much intertwined with the growth of press that the press has come to be recognized as an institutional limb of modern democracy .” [xii]

Speaking of democracy, political scientists and experts always say there are four pillars of democracy, namely the judiciary, executive, legislative, and media. [xiii] More functioning judiciary as an institution of the judiciary, the executive is more to the government, while the legislature as an institution that makes the laws and overseeing government performance.

Media is an important and inseparable part of a democratic society. It is in fact called the fourth pillar of democracy. Before the advent of electronic media, print media played an important role in disseminating information to people. Over the years, a wide variety of media like the press, performing arts, television, radio, and films have been used for communication.

Furthermore, the fourth pillar which is also very important is the media. Why the media can be regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy? Because often times people assume that the media is more neutral and free from elements of state power, in contrast with the previous three pillars which are all oriented to power. The media not only as a source of news, but it is also the voice of the people carrier and fittings. The media also often become a tool for suppressing the three pillars of democracy before.

There are a minimal number of pillars needed to support the infrastructure of democracy. If you wish to build a bridge, there are principles of engineering that must be followed. Similarly, there are seven main pillars of the architecture of democracy:

1. Elections,

2. Political tolerance,

3. The rule of law,

4. Freedom of expression (it includes the press)

5. Accountability and transparency,

6. Decentralization, and

7. Civil society.

But democracy, unlike bridge building, isn’t just science; it is also the art of the possible. The fourth pillar sustaining democracy is freedom of expression. What people in civil society are allowed to say, print, distribute, and discuss is indicative of the democratic nature of a political system. A free press is one measure of freedom of expression in a society.

The newspaper not only presents facts but also gives the interpretation of facts and statements of opinions through its editorials and also propagates ideas and ideologies. The press has therefore been rightly described as the Fourth Estate.

Although no democracy has absolute freedom of speech, unless citizens have the right to express themselves in the political process, no government can be made accountable for its actions. Each country places its own limitations on freedom of expression. What matters is that those limitations are not misused by political forces to limit public scrutiny of policies and actions that have an impact on the integrity of governance. For example, if criminal libel laws effectively thwart whistle blowing on irregularities or corruption, democracy is diminished. And hence it is also very necessary to limit this influential institution’s powers.

“Freedom of Press is not absolute, unlimited and unfettered at all times and in all circumstances as it would lead to disorder and anarchy.” [xiv] We are the part of the democratic country and where the citizen is all in all and there must be check and balances on the government and the media plays that role regarding the check and balances on the government. Abraham Lincon gave the definition of democracy in the words, “ Democracy is the people, for the people and by the people .”

Media is regarded as one of the pillars of democracy. Media has a wide role in society. Media plays a vital role in molding opinion of the society and it is capable of changing the whole viewpoint through which people perceive various events. The media can be commended for starting a trend where the media plays an active role in bringing the accused to hook.

WHETHER FREEDOM PROVIDED TO THE MEDIA IS GENUINE OR NOT?

The prime purpose of the free press guarantee is regarded as creating a fourth institution outside the government as an additional check on the three official branches- executive, legislative and the judiciary. [xv] It is the primary function of the press to provide comprehensive and objective information on all aspects of the country’s social, economic and political life. The press serves as a powerful antidote to any abuse of power by government officials and as a means for keeping the elected officials responsible to the people whom they were elected to serve.

In India, freedom of press is implied from the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by Article. 19(1) (a). There is no specific provision ensuring freedom of the press as such. The freedom of the press is regarded as a “species of which freedom of expression is a genus.” [xvi] Thus, being only a right flowing from the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press in India stands on a higher footing than the freedom of speech of a citizen, and the press enjoy privilege as such distinct from the freedom of the citizen.

The Supreme Court has laid emphasis in several cases on the importance of maintaining freedom of the press in a democratic society. The press seeks to advance the public interest by publishing facts and opinions without which a democratic electorate cannot make responsible Judgments. Articles and news are published in the press from time to time to expose the weakness of the government. The primary duty of the courts to uphold the said freedom and invalidate all laws or administrative action which interferes with the freedom of the press contrary to the constitutional mandate. [xvii]   Article 19 (1) (a) applies to citizens only and so a non-citizens running a newspaper cannot seek the guarantee of this constitutional provision.

Press in India and the reaction of Supreme Court

The press or media acts as a watchdog of democracy. In fact, post-independence, the India press has played a vital role in restraining corruption and injustice in the nation. The press is also instrumental in arousing the general public’s interest in the government and its operations. However, like everything else, there is a flipside to this as well. Over the last few years, yellow journalism has been rampant in the Indian press, which has lead to widespread misconducts in the nation.

In Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras [xviii] , the Supreme Court held that there can be, no doubt, that freedom of speech and expression includes freedom of propagation of ideas, and that freedom is ensured by the freedom of circulation. Liberty of circulation is an essential to that freedom as the liberty of publication. Indeed, without circulation, the publication imposed on grounds mentioned in Article 19(2) of the Constitution. A law which authorises the imposition of restrictions on grounds of ‘public safety’ or the ‘maintenance of public order’ falls outside the scope of authorised restrictions under  clause (2) and therefore, void and unconstitutional.

In Indian Express Newspapers v. Union of India [xix] , the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of freedom of the press in these words:

“…..The expression freedom of the press has not been used in Article 19 but it is comprehended within Article 19(1)(a). The expression means freedom from interference from authority, which would have the effect of interference with the content and circulation of newspapers. There cannot be any interference with that freedom in the name of public interest.

“The purpose of the press is to advance the public interest by publishing facts and opinions without which a democratic electorate cannot make a responsible judgement. Freedom of the press is the heart of social and political intercourse. It is the primary duty of the courts to uphold the freedom of the press and invalidate all laws or administrative actions, which interfere with it contrary to the constitutional mandate.”

In Sakal Papers(Private) Limited v. Union [xx] , Supreme Court had observed that the right to freedom of speech and expression carries with it the right to publish and circulate one’s ideas, opinions, and views with complete freedom and by resorting to any available means of publication, subject to the restrictions imposed under Art. 19(2). The Indian Constitution does not expressly provide for the freedom of the press but this freedom is included in “Freedom of speech and expression” guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a).

Blackstone said that the essence of freedom of expression is that every person should be able to lay his sentiment before the public without previous restraint, that to forbid this, is to destroy the freedom of the press; but if publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he must take the consequence of his own temerity. [xxi]

In Bennet Coleman Company v. UOI [xxii] , the Court held that freedom of the press is both quantitative and qualitative. Freedom lies both in circulation and in content. The fixation of page limit will not only deprive the petitioners of their economic viability but also restrict the freedom of expression by compulsive reduction of page level entailing the reduction of circulation and the area of coverage for news and views.

In Hamdard Dawakhana v. UOI [xxiii] , the Supreme Court has held  that an advertisement is no doubt a form of speech and expression of ideas. In the present case, the advertisement was held to be dealing with commerce or trade and not for propagating ideas. Advertisement of prohibited drugs would thus not fall within the scope of Article 19(1)(a).

In view of the Supreme Court decision in Tata Press Ltd. V. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. [xxiv] the ruling in Hamadard Dawakhana case has now a limited application that is, prohibiting an obnoxious advertisement and cannot be applied to the general advertisement as such. In this case, the Court has held that commercial speech is a part of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Art. 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. ‘Commercial speech’ cannot be denied the protection of Art. 19(1)(a) of the Constitution merely because the same are issued by the businessman.

Describing the advertising as the cornerstone of Indian economic system, the Judges said that low prices for consumers are dependent upon mass production, mass production is dependent upon the volume of sales, and volume of sales are dependent upon advertising.

In Printers (Mysore) Ltd. v. Assistance Commercial Tax Officer [xxv] , the Supreme Court has reiterated that though freedom of the press is not expressly guaranteed as a Fundamental Right, it is implicit in the all democratic countries and the press has rightly been described as the fourth estate. The democratic credentials of a state are judged by the extent of freedom the press enjoys in that state.

The Supreme Court has emphasized that the freedom of the press is not so much for the benefit of the press as for the general community because the community has a right to be supplied with information and the government owes a duty to educate the people within the limits of its resources.

RIGHT TO INFORMATION AND THE ROLE OF MEDIA

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations states:

“ Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers .”

Information is regarded as the oxygen of democracy. It invigorates where it percolates. If people do not know what is happening in their society, if the actions of those who rule them are hidden, then they cannot take a meaningful part in the affairs of the society. Freedom of expression, free dissemination of ideas and access to information are vital to the functioning of a democratic government.

Information is crucial for a vibrant democracy and good governance as it reflects and captures Government activities and processes. Access to information not only facilitates active participation of the people in the democratic governance process, but also promotes openness, transparency and accountability in administration.

‘Right to Information’ (RTI), the right of every citizen to access information held by or under the control of public authorities, can thus be an effective tool for ushering in good governance. The major characteristics of good governance are participation, rule of law, transparency, responsiveness, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, strategic vision and consensus-orientation.

Transparency means that decisions are taken openly and enforced as per rules and regulations. It requires that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided to all the stakeholders in easily understandable forms and media to enable their meaningful participation in decision making processes.

Accountability means that public institutions and functionaries are answerable to the people and to their institutional stakeholders. In general, an organization or an institution should be accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without a regime of transparency.

A direct relationship exists between the right to Information, informed citizenry and good governance. The Right to Information provides citizens the opportunity of being informed of what the Government does for them, why and how it does it. Good governance provides a platform that enables government functionaries to operate efficiently, effectively and transparently and be accountable to the public for their actions. It aims to put an end to inconsistent government practices and helps in establishing a responsive State.

Public participation in Government, respect for the rule of law, freedom of expression and association, transparency and accountability, the legitimacy of Government, and the like, which are the core values of good governance, can be realised only if the right to information is implemented in the right spirit. Right to information is the hallmark of good governance.

MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT

The media can make a real difference to the lives of poor and disadvantaged people by:

• making people more aware of their rights and entitlements;
• enabling people to have access to government programmes, schemes and benefits;
• making people more aware of political issues and options and helping to stimulate debate;
• educating the public on social, economic and environmental issues;
• drawing attention to institutional failings – corruption, fraud, waste, inefficiency, cronyism, nepotism, abuse of power and the like;
• fostering the exchange of best practices, knowledge resources, access to better technology, and to better choices;
• creating pressure for improved government performance, accountability and quality, for example in service delivery; and
• providing a discursive space for citizens to dialogue with other actors in the governance process.

The three main areas through which the media can make a significant impact on development and poverty reduction are:

1) Empowerment

Media has a definite role to play in the empowerment of citizens. It gives voice to the needs and aspirations of the people and provides them access to relevant information. When people lack a voice in the public arena, or access to information on issues that affect their lives, and if their concerns are not reasonably reflected in the public domain, their capacity to participate in democratic processes is undermined.

Media, in all its varied forms, has opened up the potential for new forms of participation. Thus, the vulnerable and marginalized sections of the society such as the poor, women, weaker sections and socially disadvantaged are also using the media to make their voices heard.

2) Social Awareness & Action

The potential of mass media to be effectively employed to enhance social awareness is unquestionable. The news media plays a decisive role in establishing a discursive space for public deliberations over social issues. Giving a voice to the poor also entails giving the poor people adequate opportunities to take initiatives for overcoming their problems. The media, through its role in shaping public awareness and action, can be a critical factor in facilitating sustainable development and poverty reduction.

3) Good Governance

Good governance is recognized as central to poverty eradication, and a free media is a necessary condition for good governance. As an information conduit between corporations, government, and the populace, the media acts as a watchdog against government malfeasance, while at the same time fostering greater transparency and accountability. The media monitors public service delivery and reports on key issues to the public at large, and in this process exerts pressure on public service providers.

By highlighting institutional failings to guard against and institutional successes for replication, the media creates the right framework of incentives for good governance. A free press is integral to good governance. It lets people voice diverse opinions on governance and reform, expose corruption and malpractices and help build a public consensus to bring about change. It monitors basic public service delivery and promotes human development.

EFFECTS OF MEDIA IN OUR SOCIETY

Every coin has two sides. There are both positives and negatives of one single given notion. The media, known as the fourth pillar of democracy, has a huge impact on the society. The effects are of course, positive as well as negative. It is upto the people to decide which effect they want to bask in. Media is such a powerful tool that it literally governs the direction of our society today. It is the propeller as well as the direction provider of the society. Opinions can change overnight and celebrities can become infamous with just one wave by the media. [xxvi]

The Bright Side

Information on the latest happenings reaches people in just a matter of minutes. The vision of media reaches even the remotest corners of the country and makes sure that everyone is aware of what is going on in the country. The easy and swift availability of any given information makes media one of the most reliable sources for forming public opinion. It bridges the gap between the leaders and the masses by becoming their channel of communication.

It brings into open the innumerable achievements that are going on in the country. Media gives ordinary people the power to reach out to the society as a whole. It can make heroes out of ordinary men. The media acts as a deterrent on corrupt practices and keeps a check on the working of the government. Media has significantly promoted social causes like literacy, health management, anti-dowry practices, discouraging female feticide, AIDS awareness, etc.

On the Contrary…

“ The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses. ”

– Malcolm X

Media can adversely affect the thinking capability of individuals and instill negative or destructive thinking patterns in the society as a whole. As already said before, the media has the power to form and alter opinions. This means media can portray an ordinary thing so negatively that it may force people to think or act in quite the opposite way. Media glorifies violence and contains graphic descriptions or images. When viewed by the vulnerable portion of the society, i.e., the children, it can have grave effects on their upcoming and thinking patterns. [xxvii]

The media can sometimes go out of the way in advertising or glorifying certain issues. Usually, a bad or detrimental message is packaged in a glorious way and is made accessible to the public. Movies that depict filthy rich thieves who don’t bat an eyelid before killing someone or extorting someone and the getting away with it, sure give entertainment to people. At the same time, it encourages them to act in a way that promises adventure and thrill in life. This way, the media glorifies the bad aspects of people and encourages them to act in forbidden ways.

In Democracy, the Government cannot function unless the people are well informed and free to participate in public issues by having the widest choice of alternative solutions of the problems that arise. Articles and news are published in the press from time to time to expose the weaknesses of the governments. The daily newspaper and the daily news on electronic media are practically the only material which most people read and watch.

The people can, therefore, be given the full scope for thought and discussion on the public matter, if only the newspapers and electronic media are freely allowed to represent different points of views, including those of the opposition, without any control from the Government.

The following suggestions are offered in this connection:

“Freedom of press may be inserted as a specific fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution of India. Parameters of freedom of the press should be clearly earmarked. Information must be available at an affordable cost within specified, definite and reasonable time-limits. Free press should not violate the right to privacy of an individual. Free press must be law enforcing and preventive of crime.

“Rule of law must be followed by the free press. Influence through free press upon the judiciary should not be exercised. Press is the watchdog to see that every trial is conducted fairly, openly and above board, but the watchdog may sometimes break loose and has to be punished for misbehaviour. It shows that there are certain restrictions on the freedom of the press.”

Formatted on March 1st, 2019.

REFERENCES:

[i] https://www.sites.google.com/site/fourththpillar/Home/freedom-of-press last visited on 17-09-2014 at 07:45 am

[ii] Sakal papers v. Union of India, AIR 1962 SC 305: (1962) 3 SCR 842.

[iii] Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Right

[iv] (1914) 16 BOMLR 544

[v] Sakal Papers Ltd. V. UOI AIR 1962 SC 305

[vi] http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/document/actandordinances/POTA.htm  last visited on 15. 09. 2014 at 11:16am

[vii] The prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002.

[viii] Romesh Thapar Vs. State of Madras, AIR 1950 SC 124

[ix] Express Newspapers Limited Vs. Union of India, AIR 1958 SC 578 at 621

[x] AIR 1950 SC 129

[xi] AIR 1962 SC 305

[xii] Vide Author’s Commentary on the Constitution, 6th Ed,Vol C, pg 95-97; Indian Express v Union of India(1985) 1 SCC 641

[xiii] http://politicsdemocracy.blogspot.com/2014/01/social-media-as-fifth-pillars-of.html last visted on 29.08.2014 at 1:00am

[xiv] In re , Harijai Singh ,(1996) 6 SCC 632; AIR 1995 SC 264

[xv] New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254;

[xvi] Sakal Newspaper v. Union of India, AIR 1962 SC 305. : (1962) 3 SCR 842

[xvii] Indian Express Newspapers(Bombay) p. ltd. V. Union of India , AIR 1986 SC 515;

[xviii] AIR 1950 SC 124

[xix] (1985) 1 SCC 641

[xx] AIR1962 SC 305

[xxi] Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765; 4 th ed. 1770 in 4 uol } Bok 4 Chap II, 151-152) 13

[xxii] AIR 1972 SC 106

[xxiii] AIR 1960 SC 554

[xxiv] (1995) 5 SCC 139

[xxv] (1994) 2 SCC 434

[xxvi] http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/what-are-the-effects-of-media-in-our-822.html   last visited on 07-09-2014 at 10:30 pm

[xxvii] http://pabna.in/media-the-4th-pillar-of-democracy last visited on 18-09-14 at 10:00 am

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6 thoughts on “Freedom Of Press: Fourth Pillar Of Democracy”

Thanks for this it really works for my project

The purpose and the role of journalism should be telling us the truth. Because they are the only medium for us to giving us the information. But people who are doing things without the concern of the media are the one restricting them to tell the truth. This was a nice post thanks for this.

My pleasure:)

Thank you so much it was too good and helped me a lot.

My pleasure🙏😊

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Essay on Role of Media in Democracy

Students are often asked to write an essay on Role of Media in Democracy in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Role of Media in Democracy

Introduction.

Media is a pillar of democracy. It informs the public, promotes transparency, and encourages citizen participation.

Media as an Informer

Media informs citizens about the activities of government. It helps people make informed decisions during elections.

Media and Transparency

Media exposes corruption and misuse of power. It holds leaders accountable, ensuring they serve public interest.

Media and Participation

Through debates and discussions, media encourages citizens to participate in democratic processes. It gives voice to the voiceless.

250 Words Essay on Role of Media in Democracy

Media, often hailed as the ‘Fourth Pillar’ of democracy, plays a pivotal role in shaping a healthy democracy. It is the backbone of a democracy, as it helps shape public opinion and influence the direction in which a society progresses.

Media as a Watchdog

Media’s primary role in a democracy is to act as a watchdog. It ensures the government’s accountability and transparency, scrutinizing its policies and decisions. By exposing corruption, inefficiency, and injustice, it empowers citizens to demand better governance.

Media as a Platform for Dialogue

Media also facilitates a healthy exchange of ideas, opinions, and criticisms. It provides a platform where different viewpoints can be expressed and heard, fostering a culture of debate and discussion, which is integral to a thriving democracy.

The Role of Media in Elections

Media’s role becomes particularly significant during elections. By providing comprehensive and unbiased information about candidates, their policies, and their performance, media allows voters to make informed choices, strengthening the electoral process.

Challenges and Conclusion

However, the power of media also poses challenges. Issues like fake news, media bias, and sensationalism can undermine its role in a democracy. Thus, it is crucial to promote media literacy, ethics, and regulations to ensure that media continues to serve as a pillar of democracy. Despite these challenges, it is undeniable that media plays a critical role in the functioning and preservation of democracy.

500 Words Essay on Role of Media in Democracy

The role of media in ensuring transparency.

In a democratic setup, media acts as a watchdog, keeping a vigilant eye on the actions of the government and other public figures. It investigates, exposes, and challenges any instances of corruption, malpractice, or abuse of power. By reporting on such issues, the media ensures accountability and transparency, thereby strengthening the democratic fabric of the society.

Media as a Platform for Debate and Discussion

Media also provides a platform for public debate and discussion. It encourages the exchange of ideas, opinions, and perspectives, which is crucial for the democratic process. Through news, talk shows, and panel discussions, media allows diverse viewpoints to be heard, fostering a culture of tolerance and mutual respect.

Media and Voter Awareness

Media and social change.

Media can also be a powerful tool for social change. By highlighting social issues and injustices, it can mobilize public opinion and spur collective action. Media campaigns on issues like gender discrimination, environmental conservation, and human rights have played a significant role in bringing about societal transformations.

Challenges and the Way Forward

Despite its crucial role, the media in a democracy faces several challenges. These include issues like media bias, sensationalism, and the influence of corporate and political interests. To overcome these challenges, there is a need for stringent regulations to ensure media independence and objectivity. Media literacy should also be promoted to enable the public to critically analyze media content.

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Media: The Fourth Foundation Of Democracy

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Trial from the media:

• Trial by the press is a term that became popular in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It explains the influence of television and newspaper coverage on the credibility of an individual by establishing a widespread impression of guilt or innocence before, or after, a court of law verdict.
• The trial by the media has been criticised by different Judges of the Court because it contributes to psychological variance while giving the judgement.
• Media trial is against the right to fair trial; Jasleen Kaur , a Delhi woman, for example, posted a picture of a man, Sarvjeet Singh , on Facebook in 2015 and accused him of sexual harassment. Four years later, the Delhi Court held the man innocent and acquitted him of all the charges.

The fourth pillar of democracy is the media:

• In keeping democracy alive and thriving, the media plays an important role. It is a connecting link between government and people in a way that provides citizens with knowledge about government acts, policies and inefficiencies.
• As a fourth pillar, the media plays an important part in achieving the true meaning of democracy.

The media's role in linking government and citizens:

What is press freedom.

• Freedom of the press has been regarded in India as part of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 19(1)(a).
• The limits on "freedom of expression and speech" also extend to "freedom of the press and the media."
• Article 19(2), on the following grounds, offers reasonable restrictions such as India’s sovereignty and dignity, State protection, public order, decency, or morality, or in connection with court contempt and defamation.

Why is press freedom necessary?

• It serves as a check on administrators and governments.
• A free press has a responsibility to lift its voice against any social disorder or evil.
• It works towards strengthening a nation's sovereignty and dignity.
• It helps to create an atmosphere where peace and harmony can be cultivated by the country's people.
• A free press is essential to a democratic society.
• The press offers the forum for the hearing of a multitude of voices.
• At the national, regional and local levels media is the public’s watchdog as well as it is also an activist and guardian as well as an educator and entertainer.
• In India, the media has played a crucial role in providing people with knowledge about social and economic ills.

Verdicts of the Supreme Court on freedom of speech:

• The Supreme Court recognised in Romesh Thapar vs. the State of Madras that "Freedom of expression and the press is the cornerstone of all democratic organisations."
• In Indian Express Newspapers v. Union of India, the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of freedom of the press in these words:
• In Tata Press Ltd. V. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. the Supreme Court held that a commercial advertisement or commercial speech was also a part of the freedom of speech and expression.

What needs to be done to protect press freedom?

• The "Upholder and Guardian of the Constitution" is the Supreme Court. An independent judiciary that upholds the constitutional guarantee of media freedom is an important safeguard for this fundamental right.
• Media self-regulation along with strong institutions such as media ombudsman as well as complaints and appeals committees, make it possible for ethics to be adhered to.
• To give the media fair play and to check its arbitrariness at the same time, a regulatory body should be formed comprising both media individuals and government bodies.
• Reform should come from senior editors and journalists in the media particularly. They should begin to reveal instances of fake news, and conflicts of interest, and make press operations more open.
• There is also a need for legislative support for the PCI (Press Council of India) to give it more regulatory authority.

What are the problems faced by the Indian media today?

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Democratising the Fourth Pillar

2 Pages Posted: 29 Jun 2020

Shailesh Kumar

Royal Holloway, University of London

Date Written: June 26, 2017

Media, considered as the fourth pillar of democracy in popular discourse, has the responsibility of informing the citizenry. Being put in the category of pillars that form the base of, and sustain, the big building of democracy, automatically reflects the pivotal role that it needs to play in an egalitarian society. The difference is just that it does not form part of the troika of Montesquieu’s theory of the separation of powers that he had put forth for preventing any government from being despotic, thereby not belonging to the domain of ‘State’ in its entirety. As most of the media work outside the clutches of the State, very often we see the instances of the government’s attempt to put the freedom of the media into peril, thus having a chilling effect on it. This is done in order to deny the public of right to receive diversity of expression. But, can it be said that diversity of expression only functions in a pro-State/ anti-State binary in media content? The answer is ‘No’. Diversity of expression is also echoed from the varied content that represent different sections of the society, and therefore, the variability in the content-producers that represent the media becomes fundamental to its democratisation.

Keywords: Media, India, Democracy, Fourth Pillar, Caste, Democratisation, Diversity, Brahminical, Dalits

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Shailesh Kumar (Contact Author)

Royal holloway, university of london ( email ).

Egham hill Egham, TW20 0EX United Kingdom

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Reclaiming the role of the press as the fourth pillar of democracy

Media institutions and their journalists still have a crucial role to play to support democracy today: providing news people can trust.

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he press as the purveyor of news and information is struggling – globally and not just in Indonesia. The digital disruption is hurting it so that many platforms are financially bleeding, and with fierce competition from millions of non-journalists who are also disseminating their own work, their journalists are rapidly losing their audiences and influence.

But the wrong response to these trends could soon lead it to even lose its raison d’être : as an institution that provides checks and balances on the powers that be, which is essential for a functioning democracy.

The press as we know it is undergoing an identity crisis to the point it may be worth considering changing the name "National Press Day", which falls on Feb. 9, to something that is more 21 st century. The term “press” originates from the printing presses used in the past to produce newspapers, long before radio and television came on the scene, and even longer before the internet and social media era.

Insisting on calling it the “press” only further condemns both the industry and the journalism profession that comes with it into the annals of history, which is where they are heading now.

The alternative names given are not exactly fitting. There is nothing “mass” about the media institutions even if they have gone online, and there is even less that is “mainstream” about them when they no longer command large audiences. Calling them “legacy” media makes them antiquated.

It was not long ago, before the internet era, that the press could claim its place as the fourth pillar of democracy. It was the eyes and ears of the public in keeping accountable the other three pillars – the executive and legislative branches, and the judiciary. Democracy cannot function without a free and independent press, which in turn derives its power as a quid pro quo from the people.

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That was true then, and it should be even truer in today’s information ecosystem. That is not the case, however, as the watchdog role seems to be missing, diluted or barely heard in the chaotic digital news landscape.

Disseminating news is no longer the monopoly of the media institutions. Bloggers, citizen journalists and social media users are also putting out their news and information, at times even going viral. To complicate matters, trolls are posting misinformation and disinformation on the internet.

As the internet becomes the main platform for media institutions to disseminate news, they find they must share the field with millions of others. Gone are the days when newspapers and television or radio broadcasters had control over the flow of news and information, to the point of even setting the national agenda.

Unfortunately, in the migration to the digital world, many media institutions are discarding the principles of good journalism in the competition for clicks and views. When they set speed as the overarching goal, they sacrifice accuracy and fairness, the two chief tenets of journalism. When they do this, it becomes harder for the audience to distinguish them from the other news purveyors.

Media institutions can still create a niche in this big landscape and stay relevant by staying above the fray, rather than trying to stay ahead of the game. It is journalism that in the end distinguishes them from the rest.

Speed may seem important in this digital era, but in journalism it should never trump accuracy and fairness. Many media institutions have built their name and reputation in the print and broadcasting world for decades by upholding the tenets of good journalism, verifying stories and making the point of covering both sides to earn public trust.

Such practices take time, but that should not change in the digital world despite the competition. Abandoning these principles would be the death knell of journalism.

Even with diminishing audiences and influence, media institutions and their journalists still have a crucial role to play to support democracy today: providing news people can trust.

The audience today may enjoy the wider array of choices for news and information the internet offers, but they know where to go for credible and trustworthy news. As the landscape is bombarded with misinformation and disinformation, the presence of media that practices good journalism becomes more important than ever.

If democracy has suffered in recent years, one explanation is because of the declining role of the press in carrying out its mandate as the fourth pillar. In its struggle for survival and staying relevant, many media institutions and journalists have abandoned their watchdog role to keep those in power accountable. There is strong evidence that governance in the other three pillars has gone almost unchecked in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In reclaiming its role as the fourth pillar of democracy, the press must know that its future hinges not only on its ability to raise the finances needed and to come up with business models appropriate for the digital world but, more importantly, on its ability to nurture public trust and support.

That role is not given for free. Journalists must stay true to the profession, and the ethics that come with the profession, to serve the people and to serve democracy.

The writer is senior editor at The Jakarta Post.

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Media Bias and Democracy

• 25 Mar 2023
• 11 min read
• GS Paper - 2
• Fundamental Rights
• Quasi Judicial Bodies

This editorial is based on “‘Press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy....” which was published in the Indian Express on 24/03/2023. It discusses the issue of freedom of press in India and ways to address the same.

For Prelims: Article 19, Freedom of Press, Fake News, Madrid Principles

For Mains: Role of Media in Promoting Democracy and related challenges

The media is the fourth pillar in the conception of the State, and thus an integral component of democracy. A functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment — or as it is commonly known, “speak truth to power”.

Article 19 of the Constitution of India guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression and is typically invoked against the state. However, despite the constitutional protection, journalists and media outlets in India have faced a range of challenges , including threats, attacks, and intimidation from government officials, politicians, and non-state actors.

Media is the engine that drives democracy forward, based on the quest for truth, justice, and equality . In today's digital age, the need for journalists to uphold standards of accuracy, impartiality, and responsibility in their reporting is paramount to successfully overcome the challenges posed by the rapidly changing media landscape.

What Role does Media Play in Promoting Democracy?

• The media informs citizens about political issues, policies, and events, allowing them to make informed decisions about their leaders and government.
• The media acts as a watchdog, scrutinizing the actions of government officials and holding them accountable for their actions.
• The media provides a platform for public debate and discussion about political issues, which is essential for a healthy democracy.
• The media should represent a range of perspectives and viewpoints, giving citizens access to a variety of opinions and ideas.
• The media should educate citizens about the democratic process, helping them understand how government works and how to participate in it effectively.

What are the Challenges with the Role of Media in Democracy?

• Media bias can distort the information that is presented to the public , leading to a lack of objectivity and an imbalance in the information that is available. This can result in a polarized public opinion and a lack of trust in the media.
• The mainstream media in India is often indulged in either being pro-government or totally against them they are choosing extreme point of views and are not trying balancing out, rather ignoring issues related to common folks.
• The rise of social media has made it easier for fake news to spread rapidly, often leading to confusion and misinformation among the public.
• Recently, two men in Haryana were killed on suspicion of illegal transportation, smuggling or slaughtering of cows by cow vigilantes highlight the issue of Mob Lynching.
• Media outlets are often owned by large corporations, which can influence the editorial policies and reporting of the media. This can lead to a lack of diversity of perspectives and a focus on profit over public interest.
• Governments may use censorship to control the flow of information and suppress dissent. This can lead to a lack of transparency and accountability in the government and limit the ability of the media to act as a watchdog.
• A diverse and representative newsroom is essential for media institutions to provide well-researched and complex stories that explore a multiplicity of perspectives and voices.
• This can arise due to various factors such as political biases, commercial interests, sensationalism, and lack of journalistic standards.
• The lack of gender diversity in the media is another important issue to consider. Women are underrepresented in both the ownership and workforce of media organizations, which limits the diversity of perspectives and voices in the media. It also perpetuates gender stereotypes and reinforces patriarchal norms.
• There have been instances when the media has carried narratives that make a person guilty in the eyes of the public, even before the court finds them guilty.
• One example of a media trial in India was the 2008 Aarushi Talwar-Hemraj double murder case. The case received extensive media coverage and the media played a significant role in shaping public opinion and influencing the investigation and subsequent court proceedings.
• According to the Madrid Principles on the Relationship Between the Media and Judicial Independence, it is the job of the media to “convey information to the public and to comment on the administration of justice, including cases before, during and after trial, without violating the presumption of innocence.”

What Should be the Way Forward?

• It is the collective responsibility of journalists as well as other stakeholders to weed out any element of bias or prejudice from the process of reporting events.
• A comprehensive fact-checking mechanism should be in place to verify all news items before reporting. Media houses are expected to act cautiously while publishing news.
• The media should strive to represent diverse voices and perspectives to ensure that all viewpoints are heard and considered. This can help to promote a more informed and engaged citizenry.
• One of the key roles of the media is to hold those in power accountable by reporting on their actions and decisions. This includes investigating corruption and abuse of power.
• The media can play a key role in fostering public discourse by providing a platform for debate and discussion. This can help to promote understanding and dialogue between different groups, leading to more informed and inclusive decision-making.
• The media should strive to avoid bias in its reporting to ensure that it is perceived as fair and objective by all parties. This can help to build trust in the media and promote its role in democracy.
• Journalists are facing online harassment due to the rise of social media. This affects their safety and freedom of expression. India needs to take measures to address this issue and ensure the safety of journalists.
• While the media has an important role in promoting democracy, citizens also have a responsibility to consume news critically and discerningly . Media literacy programs can help citizens to better understand how the media works , how to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources, and how to engage in informed public discourse.
• In addition to large mainstream media outlets, there is a need to support and promote independent journalism in India. This can include funding for investigative reporting, support for community-based media, and protection for freelance journalists and stringers who often face greater risks than staff journalists.
• While Article 19 of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, there are no specific provisions for the protection of journalists.
• It is important that the media stick to the core principles like truth and accuracy, transparency, independence, fairness and impartiality, responsibility and fair play.

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• Constitution

Media-The Fourth Pillar of Democracy

This article has been written by Aarushi Chawla, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi. This article talks about the importance of the media as an important pillar for democracy. 

Table of Contents

Introduction

Democracy is considered to be a rule of the people through their elected representatives. One of the merits of a democratic system is the freedom of expression and the space that is provided to disagreement by different sections of society. It has namely four pillars: Judiciary, Legislative, Executive and Media. The three former ones maintain a system of checks and balances in Indian context. Whereas the latter that is the Media is the most powerful entity on earth. It ensures transparency in all the three systems. It’s like a mirror that shows the real side. It makes us aware of various social, economic and political issues that surround up in a country. With a number of new channels, newspapers and social media platforms which provided the most accurate news covering all types of news, it is now a puppet of polarized politics. Just not to blame only politics, religious dominance also puts up a blanket on the authenticity of the news showered upon us. As said, “What the mass media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is intended to be consumed like food, forgotten and replaced by a new dish.”. If there is a perfect blend of technology and media no stone will be left unturned in unearthing corruption and politics in our society. But due to loss of credibility of the media and people’s trust in it democracy is at stake and all at risk.

Historical Background

In the history of India, the media has been recognized as influential, patriotic and trustworthy in the socio, the economic and political climate of the nation. The legislation pertaining to control media can be traced back to the British era.

In 1799, Lord Wellesley promulgated the press regulation act which imposed a regulation for mandatory print of names and addresses of printers, editors and publishers as well in the newspapers. Then in 1857, a gagging act was passed which made it mandatory to obtain license for running a printing press and gave wide powers to the government to prohibit publication or display of content which in its opinion was against the government. Then comes the Press registration and Books Act, 1867 which continues to remain in force till date. Again the vernacular press act, 1878 gave powers to the British government to impose restrictions on publication of news and at the same time gain extreme control over media as it is believed that people easily believe what is shown rather than having their own opinions and a will to know the truth. So it is the duty of the media to show what is right as it shapes the mind of people. A number regulation came to reduce the influence of the media thereby gaining more of British control. But revolution came in the history of the media when the coming into force of the Constitution of India, 1950 which regarded freedom of presses as a fundamental right. Though not expressly mentioned it is evident that freedom of press is inherent in the right of freedom of speech and expression.

Judicial Response to the Freedom of Press

In Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras, Patanjali Shastri, CJ observed that “Freedom of speech and of press laid at the foundation of all democratic organization for without free political discussions no public education, so essential for the proper functioning of the process of popular government, is possible.”

In Brij Bhushan v. State of Delhi Patanjali Shastri, J observed that” William Blackstone in his commentaries said that every free man has undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases before the public, to forbid this, is to destroy the freedom of the press, but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous or illegal, he must take consequences of his own temerity…. Pre censorship of a journal is a restriction on the liberty of press…”

But due to ‘transitional media’ with the progress of communication technology it became necessary to impose certain legal checks and bounds on transmission and communication. With this came restriction on freedom of press “Nothing in sub clause (a) of clause (1) shall affect the operation of any existing law, or prevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub clause in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.”

Bennett Coleman and Co. v. Union of India as per dissenting opinion of KK Mathew, J ‘…Art 19(1) (a) is not a “guardian of unlimited talkativeness”…’

In Indian Express Newspapers v. Union of India , the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of freedom of the press in these words:

“…..The expression freedom of the press has not been used in Article 19 but it is comprehended within Article 19(1)(a). The expression means freedom from interference from authority, which would have the effect of interference with the content and circulation of newspapers. There cannot be any interference with that freedom in the name of public interest.” 

In Tata Press Ltd. V. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. the Supreme Court held that a commercial advertisement or commercial speech was also a part of the freedom of speech and expression, which would be restricted only within the limitation of Article 19(2). The Supreme Court held that advertising, which is no more than a commercial transaction, is nonetheless dissemination of information regarding the product-advertised.

So it is crystal clear that freedom of press is essential for proper functioning of the democratic process. And thus, freedom of press flows from freedom of expression which is guaranteed to all citizens by Article 19(1)(a). And it is the duty of the press to disseminate real and all types of information within the limitations imposed under Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India, 1950.

The Supreme Court in a recent plea seeking action against media houses for criminalizing coronavirus pandemic stated CJI SA Bobde “We cannot gag the press. We will not pass interim orders/directions.”

Pseudo Authenticity of Media

The world of sponsors.

“The credibility of the media has reached a Nadir” are the words of the editor R. Rajagopal of Calcutta based The Telegraph newspaper. He said this in a recent interview in February when accusations were made on him regarding bashing PM Modi and while going soft on Mamta Banerjee. 

What kind of democracy is we even living in, where one is not supposed to question the other or express his or her views. The debate of nationalist and anti-nationalist depends upon whether one is pro-government or anti-government. I am pretty sure this is not the world our constitution-makers must have foreseen for us. The lust for money has made the media lose its real objective that is to open the minds of people and show them the mirror or reality rather it focuses on shaping the minds of people towards or in support of people who provide them with more money. Just switch on a news channel and see whether they are showing news or mere commercial advertisement. An honest suggestion of daily soups instead at least they aren’t faking it. 

Recently, Justice Deepak Gupta the renowned judge of the Supreme Court on May 6, 2020 in his virtual farewell speech said that “ Our laws and our legal system are totally geared in favor of the rich and the powerful. If somebody who is rich and powerful is behind bars then time and again, he will approach the higher courts during the pendency of the trial till some day he obtains an order that his trial should be expedited.  This is done at the cost of the poor litigant whose trial gets further delayed because he cannot approach the higher court. On the other hand, if a rich person is on bail or wants to delay a civil litigation, he can afford to approach the superior courts time and again to delay the trial or the proceedings till the other side gets virtually frustrated.” 

There are no fewer instances where the polarized politics and the paid news have made a remarking influence on the people.

In 2010, the Press council of India had set up a committee to investigate violations of the journalist code of fair and objective reporting. There were accusations that papers have rate cards for election candidates and these rates are for different types of news coverage- for interviews, for reporting rallies, even for trashing political opponents. In the same year the Hindu newspaper reported that while the chief minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan in elections to state assembly, showed an expenditure of just 72 Euros on advertising, stories extolling his achievements appeared for several days in rival newspapers. If the stories had been advertising, as they appeared to be, Chavan’s bill would have been many times higher.

Recently, in 2017, when Haryana’s CM Manohar Lal Khattar was asked about demonetization’s effects on people by journalist Mahendra Singh, he didn’t answer him properly and refused to say anything further. Later, that journalist was asked to resign  by Zee News channel. His fault was that he questioned the minister.

In 2018, we all know how the scamster Nirav Modi fled the country last month with his entire family and on how he perpetrated a Rs 11,400 crore-rupee scam in the seven years from 2011 to 2018 (which includes not just three years of the Congress-led UPA tenure but also almost four years of BJP-led NDA rule), viewers could wonder if the news-channel is overlooking the wood for a tree! And as well taking about the AAP government in Delhi where accusations were made regarding Delhi’s top bureaucrat (the senior IAS officer Anshu Prakash) being abused at CM’s residence how the TV news-channel’s own correspondent from drawing the same inference which AAP spokesperson had taken to defend while maintaining that the body language of the bureaucrat while leaving the CM’s residence was “normal”. One wonders how many times the TV channel’s correspondent has been beaten up if he can deduce from a mere glimpse of the silhouette of a bureaucrat’s back on the CCTV footage whether the body language is “normal” or “abnormal”.

“The widespread emergence of multiple media platforms including social media is redefining the role of the media in politics and government, and the relationship between the two. Given Narendra Modi’s earlier history with the news media as chief minister, particularly with some elements of the English media following the 2002 riots, his prime ministership created a new template for media-government relations. In the five years of the Modi-I regime, party and government operated on a simple formula: delegitimize existing media and create your own channels of communication with the voter and citizen.”

Ranging from paid news to the race of TRP media houses are trying their best. When the actors like Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan recently dies it received a lot of media coverage but I guess a barely of us know that four Indian army soldiers including a high profile Colonel and a police officer died in a gunfight with militants in Indian-administered Kashmir on May 3, 2020. But who cares about the people who give their lives every day for us to remain safe in our homes. Just on May 10, 2020 An AIIMS doctor removed his safety gear to save COVID’19 patient. But who cares! The only care is TRP.

The media houses have made the minds of people a box which doesn’t have any opinion and only works on what they say. Corruption in India media has devoured the Indian journalism.

Do we really think we are living in a free state where democracy isn’t for the people, by the people and of the people but is for the sponsors, by the sponsors and of the sponsors.

The world of communalism

Media houses are the shapers of hatred and communalism in the country for over all the years. Muslims who account for about 18 crore population are still a minority; this is the irony of Indian secularism over the years. The recent case of brutal killing of Sadhus at the palghar district in Maharashtra got no media coverage but when a Muslim man was beaten up for being thought of as a corona carrier got media flashes. Both these acts were wrong in their sense but classifying them on the basis of religion is what leads to hatred in the society. This is the actual reason why we are still not able to gear up in a secular world. 

On the other side of the coin what if Tablighi Jamaat were Hindus would it have been such a big issue even if they were responsible for spreading coronavirus in various parts of India. Instead they would have been called ‘bhakts.’

Earlier in 2019, Cobra post reported how some media houses were prepared to strike business deals to promote the Hindutva agenda and help polarize voters in the run up to the 2019 elections. The website had released a second batch of video recordings shot surreptitiously by an undercover reporter that shows managers and owners of some of the largest newspapers and TV channels succumbing to the same package of Hindutva advertorials.

Media runs “parallel trials”

Recently in 2018, Senior advocate Indira Jaising, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, told a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta that the media was running “parallel trial” in sub-judice matters and the court should frame guidelines on how to report the cases of crime against women.

She referred to the sensational Kathua gang rape and murder case and said that even before the charges was filed in the court, the media pronounced the decision that some of the accused were innocent and not guilty of the offences. An eight-year old girl, belonging to a minority nomadic community, was allegedly gang-raped and murdered in Kathua in the Jammu region on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later.

“Media trial is a matter of serious concern. In my view, it should not be held. Media trial creates a perception of prejudice against the accused. Judgment should be delivered in court only”

By conducting these parallel trials the media almost influences the judicial decision. How can one forget the Aarushi Talwar case in which the media just proved the girl as characterless. Media invites upon these experienced people then at the end of the show the anchor pronounces the judgment even before the court does. Media houses are the best way of speedy trials in India just saying. But such things hamper the real administration of justice. Before getting into such things lets go on to the intention of constitution makers who have made provision for separation of powers in the constitution and various other judicial pronouncements such as Ram Jawaya Kapoor v. State of Punjab , have shaped the system as of separation of powers and checks and balances.

Media should only focus upon disseminating real news to the masses instead of dwelling upon the work of judiciary and causing serious miscarriage of justice.

In any democracy, weakening of pillars is always damaging. We need to reach the main trunk, to trim the vicious aerial roots that are spreading and poisoning the society. So, in a nutshell, the media is forced to be a puppet of the government. They are not allowed to go against the government, they can’t question them. Whatever policies the government makes should follow that blindly. But in this way, there won’t be any medium for the public to know the truth of the government and its policies. In the hide of freedom of expression the watchdogs of democracy are having a nexus with the political parties, corporate and big organization for their own petty gains. The greedy media is killing the people and the democracy, not at the rate of authoritarianism but killing the same.

This spells danger for the future of democracy in India, unless it is urgently remedied. Journalists have forgotten the craft, which does not mean linguistic felicity alone. Language is important but only to communicate with clarity. The craft of journalism packs a value system too, starting with the question why we became journalists. I am afraid they are not asking such questions but sleepwalking sheep-like into the slaughterhouse. The problem lies not just with media houses but with an indifferent audience who is the worst threat that the media can face and the irrelevance cannot be far behind.

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The Fourth Pillar Of Indian Democracy: Freedom Of The Press

What is freedom of press, why freedom of the press.

• As per Indian newspaper Vs Union of India, the objective of the press is to supplement the public interest by printing the facts and opinions without which the citizens of the country cannot make well informed rational judgements. Freedom of the Press is the crux of the social and political inter-course. It is the paramount duty of the judiciary to prop the freedom of the press and refute all laws and executive actions that interfere with it as opposed with the constitutional provisions.  
• Press is a medium of availing knowledge and spreading the vital information of events, developments, incidents, of national interest to the whole nation and thus free and fair operation of the press makes the backbone of civil society which is capable of critical and independent thinking and forms its opinion about the country and the government after scrutinizing the facts of the situations wisely.

Article 19 and Freedom of the Press:

Reasonable limitation of freedom of press:, sovereignty and integrity of the state:, security of the state:.

• The freedom of expression can't be exercised in a way so that it becomes a threat to the security of the state in any manner. Any communication which incites people to cause social unrest, rebels, violence, riots, etc against the state and its subjects would be covered under this restriction.
• In the State of Bihar vs Shailabala Devi, SC held the speeches made by any person (citizen or non citizen) with courage of people to commit offences like dacoity, murder, robbery, etc without a doubt a threat to the security of the state.
• Hence such speech will be considered as a prejudice towards the sovereignty and integrity of the state, and the order to stop or curtail such communication is covered under this restrictions of Article 19(2).

Public Order:

• The term was inserted by the Constitutional (First amendment) Act, 1951. This clause was added to curtail the effects of Romesh Thappar Vs State of Madras where the SC held that the right to circulation is an intrinsic organ of right to freedom of expression.  
• In one of the case, the SC held that the term "public order" can be construed as "no insurrections or riots or disturbance to public peace."

Decency or Morality:

• There is no doubt that freedom of speech and expression is very crucial for societal development, but on the other hand, providing and maintaining justice and equity is also equally substantial. Though, freedom of speech and expression reckons but it can't be wielded to cancel out court's action of justice.  
• The SC under Article 129 & the HCs under Article 215 of the Constitution is empowered to take punitive actions for contempt of court. It was further held in one of the case called C.K. daphtary Vs O.P. Guptathat S. 228 of IPC and A.129 of the constitution are valid and are covered within the preview of reasonable restrictions enshrined under Article 19(2) of the Constitution.
• Article 19(1)(a) in no manner gives license to cause damage to the reputation of a person in the name of freedom of speech and expression. Causing damage to an individual's reputation is considered as defamation and is a stringent limitation to the right to freedom of speech and expression.  
• No one is allowed to expose a person to hate, ridicule or contempt by means of any expression, signs or gestures. Defamation is considered as a very stringent act therefore it is prohibited by the Civil Laws of Torts. It is an punishable offence under S. 499 of the IPC.
• Just like with the term "Public Order", this ground was also inserted in Article 19(2) of the Constitution via Constitutional (First Amendment) Act, 1951. The main objective of incorporating this restriction is was to counter antagonistic and mala fide propaganda against any foreign country which may have friendly connections the Republic of India.  
• Such activities can jeopardize the government's efforts to promulgate and maintain the friendly relations with foreign nations and bring lucrative results out of those results for India.
• As per the criminal jurisprudence, the act of incitement or abetment to an offence is a distinct and independent offence per se. Exercising the freedom of speech and expression to incite an offence would be considered as a threat to the public order.
• Just like the terms "public order" and "friendly relations with foreign states", this ground of reasonable restriction was incorporated in the constitution via the Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951. In State of Bihar v Shailabala Devi, it was held by SC that any communication which leads to incitement of any criminal act can be restricted and any order for such ban will fall within the purview of reasonable restrictions envisaged in Article 19(2) of constitution.

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" The Fourth pillar of democracy

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LL.M. Assignment Paper

Bhagwat singh

Research Directions

Dr. Akshay Kumar

There is nothing unknown about gags, bans, and restrictions on press. From the beginning of the printed text, there have been attempts to restrict the distribution of the certain information that the concerned individuals, organisations, parties, government or nation states may deem adverse to their interests. Throughout the world, the freedom of press has been curtailed at some point in time and there are historical events that elaborate upon how resources have been utilised to muzzle the voices that media tries to take to its audiences or the affected lot. Though it holds true that the freedom of speech and expression forms the cornerstone of any democracy, incidents of banning the press have been reported in abundance. There have been attempts to curb the press freedom but the voices against it also have been raised and significant resistance has led to a media industry of today that can boast of exposing the fallacies of people and systems. The institutional curbs on the freedom of press, purportedly, were put to normalise a situation of uncertainty and to block an alternative perspective, however, time and again it was met with serious resistance by the concerned thinkers and individuals. Such altercations led to formation of laws and guidelines to safeguard the freedom of press and also to put a check on the irresponsible flow of information. The notably resistance which can be traced to the historical philosophers is the Areopagitica by John Milton (1644) in which he criticized the England Parliament's 1643 Ordinance for the Regulating of Printing. His choice of printing and then distribution of his work in shape of pamphlets criticizing the existing law at that time was a defiance to the censor ship that as put on the printing of text at that time. Arguably, Milton‟s stand at that time was an absolute example of how the curbs by government institutions were met with resistance when put in public domain. The curbs are put on media in this age as well, equal resistance by the media practitioners and thinkers has been put forth. In India, the censorship and bans date back to its pre-Independence era. The introduction of Gagging Act in 1857 was is a documented evidence of how the Britishers wanted to curb the flow of information, which was used by Indian resistance leadership to mobilise the masses against the occupation. The Vernacular Press Act of 1887 and other stringent measures were adopted by the British government to curb the freedom of press in India. After Independence, there have also been incidents and measures taken by the government to curb the press freedom in India. Overt and covert attempts to muzzle press have been made which includes suspending publications, stopping of advertisements etc. Jammu and Kashmir, being a conflict-hit state in India, historically has been a vibrant society as for as media is concerned. With the publication of its first newspaper, Bidiya Bilas, in 1867, the historicity as well as censorship dates back to long time. The latest gag on newspapers in Kashmir was put in 2016 but there have been past incidences where the government of the time has used various methods to restrict, curb or end the freedom of press in Kashmir. This paper has l, thus, attempted to record the history of restrictions on the freedom of newspapers in Kashmir and also included events that led to the government action as well as the response by the publishers, editors and journalists.

prakash mishra

JOHN MOHAN RAZU

This write is about press freedom and analyses where India stands.

Moonmoon Nanda

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• Dec 19, 2021
• 10 min read

MEDIA AS THE FOURTH PILLAR OF DEMOCRACY IN INDIA OR NOT: AN ANALYSIS IN THE LIGHT OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Author : Sudeep Chandra, III year of B.B.A.,LL.B.(Hons.) from Law college Dehradun Faculty of Uttaranchal university

The media has become the most powerful entity in democratic countries. As the main function of the media is to aware people of the social, economical as well as political activities around us. Over the years, media has become more active. The role of media is its ability to spread the views and opinions of millions. The pivotal role of media is that it can bring a change in society and it can be good or bad depending upon its usage. There are mainly three pillars of democracy i.e. Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. But with the rise of the role and influence of media on society, it can also be considered as the fourth pillar of democracy. Fair media can help and lead the democratic country to reach its real goals. In this article, the authors have presented the historical development of media in this world beginning from 868 AD till the present time. On the completion of the historical background, the influence of media has been highlighted with a glimpse of the media effects with the help of the definitions from the famous researchers of the respective field. The personal views of the authors are also expressed in a separate heading analyzing whether democracy has proved to be an efficient pillar of the democracy along with its loopholes. Finally, the authors have concluded the article by stating the importance of media in today’s world and what can be done towards its further improvement.

Keywords: Democratic, Economical, Executive, Legislature, Judiciary

Introduction

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the media of the masses”- Malcolm X

Democracy in India has a Doctrine of separation of power which is abided by. India is becoming a large market for the fourth pillar of democracy with over 118239 [1] registered newspaper and over 700 television news channels and the number keeps on increasing but in the modern era, the social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp has provided a large platform for the people to connect upon and to share information because of its restriction-free cyber law. But with the growth of the TRP race and the new environment of paid media and promotion over the social media platform has hit media drastically and made media one of the biggest enemies of the Indian democracy.

In today’s world media has become the fourth pillar of democracy all over them along with the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. It has become so important that as in the absence of the other three pillars, the government cannot run systematically, but now it is felt that media as a body is also necessary to be with them. It has become the connective line between the government and the general public. Media make the general public aware of social, political, economic activities around us. The role of media is to reveal the truth and realities of society, without being bias in front of people. It can be said that accountable media can lift a nation to heights and unaccountable media can cause disarray in society. Here it has to be kept in mind that it should never be generalized and said that media houses have become the TRP race firms here some news channels work hard to protect the fourth pillar of democracy from falling apart despite the various crack appearing on the pillar. Media has become the fourth pillar of democracy as in democratic countries people have the freedom of expression and a crucial role in shaping a healthy democracy.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”.

Historical Background

The history of mass media can be seen from a very early time. The first printed book was printed in China in 868AD which is known as “Diamond Sutra”. However, people were not so literate in China which led to the relatively high cost of paper. Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press which allowed the mass production of books in the nation and this was the first form of mass communication. The first book he printed was Latin Bible in 1453. In 1810, another German printer, Friedrich Koenig, pushed media production even further which enabled the industrialization of printed media. Newspapers were developed in the 17th century, but they took until the 19th century to reach a mass audience as only a few people were literate. But slowly and gradually people learned to read and write and this led to the growth of mass media. By the 18th century, the first high circulation newspaper arose in London ‘The Times of London’. Photography had changed the scenario of media. By the late 19th century, new technology allowed newspapers to print photographs. In the early 20th century first major non-print form of mass media was started influencing people i.e. Radio, as it was less expensive than television and allow a large number of people to listen at the same time. And slowly and gradually transitions from one technology to another have greatly affected the media industry and undoubtedly evolved and become more active over the years.

Freedom of media

The Indian press commission has expressly said that “Democracy can thrive not only under the vigilant eye of its legislature, but also under the care and guidance of public opinion and the press is par excellence, the vehicle through which opinion can become articulate” [2] Freedom of media under the constitution of India is nearly a part of the freedom of speech and expression as said by Dr Ambedkar in his speech in which he said “The editor of a press or the manager is merely exercising the right of the expression, and therefore, no special mention is necessary for the freedom of the press.” [3] Media has the power to circulate and influence the masses through any wrong Idea or news about any situation. It also plays a very vital role in playing with the mind of the general public.

In the recent campaign, BJP spends a total of four 42.3 crores between February 2019 to the end of April 2019 cross 108968 ads [4] . The Indian National Congress has invested in rupees 1.46crore on Facebook for 3686 ads. It shelled out another 2.71 crore rupees on Google platforms with 425 ads [5] . This leads the media to treat involving the advertisement space and it is shown to the public as ‘news’, which disease the public at large the real news about democracy is suppressed on the large investment of various ‘paid news syndrome’.

Although we have freedom of media but the people who follow the real news or take time to express their views on any social media platform are forced to keep quiet, it is evident that they even receive threat calls against their family members and them. A report of the Hindu on 25th March 2019 said that “55% of sample English internet users were concerned that expressing their political view online could get them into trouble with the authority’s, an English digital report prepared by the Reuters institute showed.” [6]

It has been reported by NDTV journalist Ravish Kumar in The Hindu (newspaper, 25 May 2018) that he has been receiving calls threatening to kill him and rape the woman in his family. According to the committee to protect journalists India has seen cases of attack on the journalist last year. The names are given below: [7]

Shujaat Bukhari : Veteran journalist and Rising Kashmir editor were shot dead by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir on 14th June 2018.

Naveen Nischal : Dainik Bhaskar journalist was run over by a speeding SUV of the village council held in Bihar on 25 March 2018.

Chandan Tiwari : He worked for a Hindi newspaper, AAJ in Jharkhand where he was abducted and beaten to death for allegedly exposing if regularities in a government scheme.

Sandeep Sharma : He was investigating illegal sand mining in Madhya Pradesh, where he was brutally moved down by truck on 26 March 2018.

India is ranked at 140th [8] place out of 180 countries in the annual report of reporters without borders. Norway top the ranking of the world press freedom index 2019, such a low rank of India in the world press freedom index is a result of the violent attack on the Indian journalist which had led to the death of six journalists last year. These murders show a danger the Indian journalists have to face while ground reporting, most of the death have been alleged by the BJP supporters.

On one hand, we talk about Article 19(1) (a), the freedom of speech and expression and on the other hand with journalists have to face the danger of life if they do correct reporting. Once the Former United States deputy said, “Without a free and independent media, true democracy is unattainable”. So it’s time for all of us to decide that do we want the true democracy or democracy which looks colourful in the ‘paid media syndrome’. It is time for us to decide why there is no proper media coverage of any important event in society or our country instead of creating fake debates on irrelevant topics. If we want free and independent media so we have to choose which media provides the correct information about our country rather than being a graduate from WhatsApp University.

Abuse of power by Media

Media as a Fourth Pillar of Democracy ought to understand its limitation of not interfering with the work of the rest of the wings. Jim Morrison an American singer has once said that “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind”. Media has played a very vital role in the impositioning of a political party view to the people of the country. It has played its role in the division of anti-government and Pro-government people in the other words the anti-government people are called the Anti National and the pro-government people are called Bhakts. The division created by the media is completely illogical as the youth leader who has the power to speak against the ruling government are often said to be Anti National people. History shows that when another ruling party was in full majority some youth leaders who had the power to speak against the ruling government were denoted as a youth leader but now the scenario has completely changed now the people who have the power to speak against the ruling government are declared as Anti National by the media. Now the current power of media has enlarged itself to inculcate half of the Indian democratic population by sharing news that is unauthentic and completely biased towards the ruling government.

The media play a very important role in the 2019 general election as a sting operation by a news organisation called cobra post claim and revealed the engagement of the news channels being extremely biased towards the ruling government. With many of the leading media houses and the country’s most senior media personals and journalists to make money in return to push their political agenda in the news channel and non-prime time. The website of cobra post says its recording shows that some of the leading media houses were willing to “not only cause communal disharmony among citizens but also tilt the election outcome in favour of a particular party” and they will do this in return for money [9] Report of the cobra post says that he approached multiple leading media houses offering all of them the similar deal. He also claims that the Hindu monastery was willing to pay a large amount of money for the general elections in 2019 so that the ruling government can remain in power.

In the recent event, one of our greatest commissions the chandrayaan-2 was depicted by the media as the soul work of the lunar mission was done by the current ruling Government and the fact that the mission was started back on November 2nd 2007 and representatives of the Russian federal space agency and ISRO signed an agreement to work together on the chandrayaan-2 project. The Indian government approved the mission in the meeting of the union cabinet held on 18 September 2008 and was chaired by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The design of the spacecraft was completed in August 2009 which scientists of both countries conducted a joint review, but the complete credit was given to the current ruling Government and the fact that the preparation of the chandrayaan2 was started back in 2007 was completely hidden from the general public. Questioning the other wings if democracy is good but delivering judgement before the procedure has even initiated is judiciary or explaining how the legislature should make laws or how the executive should work cannot be the task of media. The major aim of media is to show the people the correct and unbiased news but the current media has completely abused its power and provided the general public with half-truth and bias news.

Legislations for media

Media has the power to influence society at large so it had become important to frame laws for the proper regulation of media. So given under are some laws that are framed by the government for the regulation of media:

Press regulation 1799 : The law made mandatory so that the information provided should be identified with its name and other details.

Gagging Act 1857 : This Act made it mandatory to provide the licence to all the printing press and it also empowered the government to restrain from the publication of any printed material.

Cable television regulation Act 1995 : This act complies with any transmission of communal polarization.

Press council of India Act 1965 : This Act was enacted “for protecting the freedom of the press and maintaining and improving the standards of both newspapers and news agencies.”

The media plays an indispensable role in the proper functioning of a democracy. Without mass media, openness and accountability are very tough to reach in contemporary democracies. By going to the various aspects of how media has the potential for becoming the fourth pillar of democracy, we conclude that it has been given enormous power and have the potential to influence the society at large but this influencing power of the media has gone to the wrong hands. Media has the role of the communicator between the government and the masses so that the policies and programs started by the government could be utilised by the general public but in today's scenario, the role of media is completely distorted by various political agendas and various paid new scandals. The larger picture of democracy is covered in a veil of fake news and the wrong use of media. Certain media houses try to provide the correct news to the general public but their voices are suppressed by putting wrong allegations on the reporters. The laws that regulate print, as well as electronic media, should be used properly to provide the correct news to the people. These all show that ethics and principles on which the foundation of the fourth pillar of democracy was laid, is in a mess and we need to recheck the foundation and provide it with truth, integrity and cornerwise. But this should not be done on the compromise of the transparency and honesty of the media and its agencies, with due importance to ‘media ethics’ all the way. The people of India are the real reasons for whom these pillars were established, so the fourth pillar must properly play its role.

[1]http://rni.nic.in/all_page/press_india.aspx

[2] Constitutional law of India, Dr J.N.Pandey, 2017 edition, page number 207.

[3] Dr Ambedkar speech in constitutional assembly debate, VII, 980.

[4] https://www.businesstoday.in/lok-sabha-elections-2019/news/lok-sabha-election-2019-bjp-congress-other-political-parties-spend-over-Rs-53-crore-on-facebook-google/story/348017.html

[5] https://www.businesstoday.in/lok-sabha-elections-2019/news/lok-sabha-election-2019-bjp-congress-other-political-parties-spend-over-rs-53-crore-on-facebook-google/story/348017.html

[6] https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/internet/report-on-indians-digital-news-habits-points-to-low-trust-fake-news-worries/article26633193.ece

[7] https://www.thequint.com/news/india/list-of-all-journalists-attacked-in-india-in-2018

[8] https://rsf.org/en/ranking_table

[9] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-44280188

• December 2021

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• General Knowledge /

Media: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy

• Updated on  
• Mar 20, 2024

Media is known as the fourth pillar of Democracy because it acts as a watchdog for the other pillars. It is known to provide credibility and maintain a check on the work and responsibilities of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. Additionally, the Media questions their authority from time to time and ensures the work is in favour of the public interest. Therefore, as aware citizens of a democratic country, Media is our closest window into the work of our Government structures. Moreover, citizens of India can maintain transparency with the system and also make their choices in public participation activities like elections. 

Also Read: 11 Features of Democracy in India in Points

Functions of Media as the Fourth Pillar of Democracy

Democracy is a regime of people’s rule over their nation through their elected representatives. The Media is responsible for keeping a check on social, political and economic activities and informing the citizens about the same.

In addition, here are some top Functions of Media:

• Report electoral results and votes in each constituency. 
• Highlight the progress or devastation incurred by various policies, parties and organisations. 
• Likewise, covering agendas and campaigns of every election.
• It promotes the investigation of malpractices and illegal activities in the society or organisation.
• Moreover, by performing its role, it helps people to make an informed choice. 
• The Media also showcases the competition between the electoral parties along with their claims and debates. 
• Furthermore, it provides a platform for people to communicate their concerns and opinions freely. This could be sharing their views on a policy or putting forward their demands. 
• Thus, it helps citizens in exercising their democratic rights. 

Also Read: What is Patriotism?

Concerns Regarding the Power of Media as the Fourth Pillar of Democracy

With such immense power to enhance and influence public opinion, Media as the fourth pillar of democracy is a powerful tool that can also be misused. Here are some points of concern to note: 

• Shading the news with opinion : The Media is expected to show an unbiased documented truth about a situation. When it gets shaded with one particular opinion, this can be used as a tool to manipulate the masses. 
• Fact-checking : Media houses often remain in competition to break the news to the masses for TRP. However, this frequently results in a lack of fact-checking at the end of reporters creating huge confusion. 
• Fundings for Media : Many organisations and political parties fund the Media houses. In this case, their opinion often becomes biased towards those who have their allegiance of interest. This results in compromised truths. 
• The blurred walls of PR and news : Some people and organisations use media platforms for paid news, it is often seen under the featured content but as it appears on two or three platforms it eventually becomes news for the people. This makes it difficult to understand what is paid propaganda and the reality.

Also Read: Important Notes on the Impeachment Process 

Types of Media

Media achieves its role as the fourth pillar of democracy, through two types of content, Print Media and Electronic Media.

Print Media

Print Media includes newspapers, magazines, books newsletters etc that were printed in hard form. The shifting of such content online has incurred a debate on what should be included in Print Media . Moreover, people can now find newspapers, magazines, newsletters and even books online. Furthermore, this has reduced the popularity of actual printed content which is evolving into e-libraries, newspaper apps and more. 

Electronic Media

Electronic Media has everything from radio to video content, written content, etc. Every form of media that is available digitally is a part of digital or electronic media. Additionally, it is easy to share, maintain and produce in bulk without much need of resources. The transformation of reels to digital cameras and then mobile cameras has further narrowed the gap. 

Also Read: Who Can Suspend the Fundamental Rights of Indians?

Freedom of Press

Our press has been granted freedom and it guarantees minimum interference of the State in the process of Media. The communication of the press with the people should be a free-flowing stream of information regardless of the platform. 

However, this freedom should not be unchecked as that leads to the compromise of integrity. In case the sovereignty or integrity of the state is impacted, the freedom of the press or even the fundamental right to free expression is suspended. 

Thus, this is the structure of governance of a democracy where every power must be kept in check for the benefit of public interest and to maintain peace and harmony within the country.

Related Blogs

Lastly, we hope you liked our blog and gained an understanding of the Fourth Pillar of Democracy. Moreover, you may even read more blogs and empower yourself with knowledge regarding Civics and Polity!

Syeda Tahira Abidi

Syeda Tahira Abidi is an avid writer and content producer with experience in multiple genres of writing like Media, Educational reforms, Travel, Lifestyle, and Public Relations. Her past experiences in Josh Talks, Ferofly, Carrot Films and WWF as a writer and filmmaker reflects in her observational content production.

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