Open Access Research Article
ROLE PLAYED BY MEDIA/PRESS IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY
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Article Details
ROLE PLAYED BY MEDIA/PRESS IN INDIAN
DEMOCRACY
AUTHORED
BY - SNEHAL SANJAY JADHAV
2nd year LLM
Abstract
Without media or free press democracy
cannot be successful. In simple words democracy
is the government of the people, for the people and by the people. In this sense for the active and vigilant
participation of free press is essential in a democratic society. It is voice of the people. It plays an important role
in the shaping of a healthy democracy.
Media is considered a heart of democracy society. As an important source of information it aware the people in all
countries of the world. The media is generally
considered as fourth pillar of democracy. It makes people conscious of different happenings from grounds such as sports,
politics, economic, and social, etc. Media is
like a mirror also which illustrations the basic reality and sometimes
it may be harsh. The present paper is
an attempt to examine the role of media in Indian democracy. To ensure the freedom of media, our
constitution does not order to achieve the overall development of the nation. Provide any specific heading, but it
provides Article 19(1) (a), which
speaks about freedom of speech and expression, this freedom in itself is inclusive of freedom of press. There are
certain limitations provided in Article 19 (2), which leads to the judicious exercise of the freedom of press.
There have been many judicial
instances where different courts, including the Apex Court i.e. The Supreme Court of India has established the right
of freedom of speech and expression, which includes
different aspects of free media in Indian
democracy.
Key Words: India, Democracy, Media, Corruption.
Introduction:
Media is known as the fourth estate or the fourth pillar
of the democratic society which
comes after executive, legislature and judiciary. It has the supreme duty to establish
a responsibility between the government and the people
who are being governed by it. Media acts as an
enhanced interface between the government and the common man. Media in
every form whether it is print media,
advertising media, broadcasting media, cyber media or any other electronic media
has become a part of our life. Media acts as an instrument of social
transformation which brings awareness , awakening that brings into light the
feelings, expectation and every
important aspect of life of common man. It is media which provides strength to the democratic values and
helps in the development of democracy. Media has evolved with time it was different when the britishers were ruling
our country during that period media
was limited to print media
but the journalistic practices during that period were a
successful tool to boost up the freedom struggle of our nation. During the
period of emergency, the freedom of
media was curbed by putting different restraints on it. After the period of emergency
the media acquired
a new role of educating people along with providing information. With the advent of internet
and other new advance technology of media expanded to the farthest
corner of the country. The new form of media
known as social
media came into being and has
a great influence on society at large especially the youngsters who are the future of the nation. The freedom of media itself
needs to protect
so as to ensure a free press.[1]
In simple
words Democracy is defined as a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Democracy
and media walk hand in hand. The recent years
saw a greater interface between the common man and media. People
are mostly dependent on it for various wants
including information and entertainment. Media keeps the peoples
awakened and there is no denying
the fact that it has become one of the major instruments of social change.
Media largely influenced the India’s
freedom movement. Subsequently after India’s independence, the responsibility and role of the media
was improved but during the period of emergency (1975) the activities of media were strongly controlled.
However, the role of media during the
post emergency period strengthened again as well as it came much closer to the
hearts of the common people. The political, social,
economic and cultural
areas of India were reflected in the newspapers which eventually paved the way for
strengthening the democracy and the government of the people of India.
Now-a-days, besides the print media,
the electronic media,
particularly, the television programs and internet brought revolutionary
changes in the pitch of news broadcasting
and scrutiny.[2]
History of Media In India
Media in India has a very long history that expands from the colonial
past in the 18 century to our present
where we are living in 21st century
in one of the biggest democracies of the world.
The Indian freedom
struggle was in a nascent
stage, the newspaper during the 1700 was meant
for British readers only. The story of Indian newspapers was started by
an Irish man named James Augustus
Hicky. He launched the first Indian newspaper known as “Bengal Gazette” in the year 1780. His paper was a bit tabloid and bit
of a satire paper at the same time.
In the year 1822,
a social reformer
named Raja Ram Mohan Roy began to awaken the Indian Public to be independent through his
publications. He started this by his first vernacular newspaper in Bengali called Sambad Kaumidi and other newspaper
Mirat-ul-Akhbar. He being a reformer
used his publication to raise voice against evil practices such as “Sati”. The First newspaper in Hindi language was
“Udant Martand” which was published first in the year 1826 by Pandit Jugal Kishor Shukla. In order to curb the
voice of press of the native language,
the vernacular press act was brought by the british government in the year
1878. Throughout the Indian freedom
struggle several newspapers came into being, which were owned by Indian platforms, one of them was The Tribune, which
was shut down after the coverage of
“Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919” and its editor Kali Nath Ray was sent to jail.[3]
Constitutional Status
of Press/Media in India
In this above mention context, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar the Chairman of Drafting
committee powerfully argued that,
“The press is simply another way of describing a citizen or an individual. The media has no superior
privileges which are not to be given or which are not to be exercised by the voter in his separate capacity. The
executive of press or the editor are all
citizens and therefore when they select to write in a newspaper they are just
exercising their right of freedom of
speech and expression and in my decision then no special mention is necessary of the freedom
of press at all”. Hence
in Indian constitution the right to press was inserted
in freedom of speech and expression i.e., Article 19(1) (a). Free press is the
need of democracy and is
more important for the huge democratic country
like India. In India, in the
absence of any exact article in the constitution for free press, it was
the judiciary who promoted and safeguarded the independence of press.[4]
Role of Indian Judiciary
in Protecting the Independence
of Press/Media
The court in Romesh Thapar VS State of Madras[5]
case has alleged that right to circulation is
as important as right to publication. In Sakal News Papers VS Union of Indian 6indirect effort by Government to restrict the freedom, by passing the Newspaper (Price
and Pages) Act 1956, which empowered the government to
regulate the space for advertisement, which was struck down by judiciary because
it would have direct impact
on circulation.
Role of Judiciary in Restricting Freedom
of Press/Media
In India the judiciary protected the rights of press as well as
constrained it in the interest of justice.
The court in Bihar VS Shailabala Devi case speeches and expression[6] on
the part of an individual which
inflame or boost to of ferocious
crimes such as murder, etc. will undermine the security of the state. The
court in the case of Dr. D.C. Saxena VS the Chief Justice of India
alleged if preservation of democracy is the foundation for free speech,
society equally is authorized to regulate freedom
of speech or expression through
democratic action. The cause is evident, e.g., that society
accepts free speech and expression and also puts restrictions on the right of the majority.[7]
Responsibility of Median in Democratic Country
Some of the responsibilities of media
in democratic country like India are as under:
1.
To train the common man with fair information. Media
shall not stain the evidences; they shall present
them as they are.
2.
To play vigorous
role in expansion the thoughtfulness of people, through
allowing them with information.
In India like other country where there is major rate of illiteracy, it is the responsibility of media to carry knowledge and widen their opinions.
3.
To play a key role in introducing the proper way
against the people who are reproached of any antisocial activities, irrespective of any political connection.
4.
To foster the essence of harmony and brotherhood among
the people, and mount faith in democracy
and justice. If the media obeys firmly to its duties then the democracy will be appreciated in factual sense by the
citizens of India.[8]
Role of Media in Indian Democracy
Media is considered the backbone of democracy, it playing very
significant role in Indian democracy which is
as following:
1.
The media works as a watchdog of the government and
carry every report of the action of administration
thereby keeping the people informed about the day to day happenings taking place around
them.
2. The media is considered as fourth pillar
of democracy. It makes us aware of various activities like politics, sports, economic social and cultural activities
etc. It is also like a mirror which shows
the bare truth and sometimes it may
be harsh.
3. The media also exposes
loopholes in the democratic society,
which ultimately helps government
in filling the vacuums of loopholes and making a system more accountable, responsive and democratic friendly. Thus
the democracy without media is like a vehicle
without wheels.
4.
Media acts as a bridge
between the people and the government and also a very powerful
tool with the ability to make
and break the opinion of the people. It has the capacity to swing perceptions or evoke emotions. This is why
it has gained faith of the public. Media, through its various means of newspapers, television and cinema is what
rules the heart and mind of people.
5.
The media has helped to shape the democratic society
by giving emphasis to issues that are at
one point in time, would have been considered strictly private such as child
birth, child care, domestic
violence, and sexual harassment.
6. Media in
exercise of freedom of expression is essential to communicate the thoughts,
views, ideas, philosophy, ideals and activities. Communication keeps society
together and cohabitate. For healthy growth of civilization world, the free flow of information and ideas is essential.
7.
Modern Methods of interpersonal Media communication
include seminars dramas, public meeting
and workshops etc. these are effective media methods to address small and
medium gatherings, which can be
used as grounds for advocating the Human Rights and building public
opinion.[9]
8. Media technology has got a crucial role in everyone’s life today. Media has got a great job of bringing
social change in whatever the topic covers from entertainment to all the
ongoing issues. Currently there
exists revolution in fighting against corruption in the country. People started
realizing the corruption is the element
to be eradicated. Internet and social networking sites like Face book and Twitter, along with traditional media
like print and electronic are powerful
weapons that curb the menace of corruption and lead to greater transparency in public life by policing India’s situation
vis-a-vis economic and governance, highlighting ongoing corruption cases and applying
pressure on corrupt
organization and individuals. The free
distribution and wide reach of the internet and social media channels is
critical in the fight to reduce
corruption and renew the social fabric. This can give rise to virtuous cycle of transparent policy making, clean government and faster economic growth.
9.
In any democratic country the media plays a vital role in creating
molding and relating
public opinion. Over the years the media became so powerful that it soon acquires the status of forth state as it was aptly described by the
British politician Edmund Burke. It is become so indispensable for the democratic functioning that Thomas Jefferson
who was the third US president (1801-1809) said, “Were it let to me to decide whether
we should have a government without newspapers or
newspapers, without a government. I should not hesitate for a movement
to prefer the letter”.[10]
10.
Media today touches
almost every aspect
of our public life. Media plays a very important and crucial role in
enlisting and educating the people. The media can aid public involvement through advocating issues and transferring
knowledge, skill and technologies to the people. Awareness about various
rural development programs, propagation of family
planning could be spread by using the media. It made
farmers aware of the new and improvement methods of agriculture and protection of the crops. Media plays very
emphatic role in awakening people
against many evils prevailed in the society like child marriage, killing of
female unborn child, the evil practice of child labor etc. though educational programs,
it can cover many student in a single platform. The university
Grant Commission telecast educational programs
for the benefit of the school and college students all over India. Media can
ignite scientific temper among the
students for development of science. The government can use the media more effectively to make it an
instrument of social change. Media has exposed a number of corrupt practices, hidden deals, thus putting a check
on the cancer in the form of corruption in the society.
[11]
Conclusion
The Media is considered as fourth
pillar of democratic society. For better working of democracy free press is must. But it does
not mean an unrestrained press. The question here arises how and who to control press. The simple answer is there
shall be an uplifting the standards
of journalism can only be solution. Every reporter must honorably and willfully make an effort not to fall in any
trap and raise the standard
of journalism.
Media shapes
the norms, beliefs in the multi-cultural society. In our country which is a developing nation media gets more
responsibility to fight social evil and adopt the change with the changing world. The main duty of India is to supply
information to common mass and develop
a system so that people
can access that information. Media
is responsible to bring awareness among the people
and this awareness
helps in developing thinking i.e., an opinion among the masses. Once people are aware,
they will have their own opinion which is necessary to shape up a democratic society. It about making people realizes their responsibility towards
nation building. Change
in the society cannot be brought overnight
but small steps taken day-
by-day can lead to a great change in society. In our country the responsibility of media is associated with social and economic conditions. Media in any form whether print or electronic is
accountable to the general public at large. The self-regulatory mechanism
in media organizations needs to be very strong so that the standards
of professional integrity can be maintained.[12]
Media is accountable to give its audience
accurate information without
misrepresentation. In addition
to it media is like the mirror
of the society which informs
people and acts as a bridge reducing the communication gap between different
sections of the society and further helps in integral feature of the growth of a developing democratic society. Finally, developing one’s own opinion.
Thus, media presents the outlook of the society which is an is essential to
have a free and unbiased media in
order to achieve a successful democracy.
References
1.
Ajun Kumar,“Role of Media in Democracy”, available at https://www.google.com/amp/s/legadesire.com accessed
on 20-January-2019.
2.
Vaibhav Chakraborty, “Media’s Role in Indian democracy”, available at https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mapsofindia.com accessed
on 21-January-2019.
3.
Constituent Assembly Debates,
Vol. VII p 780 (2nd December 1948).
4. AIR 1950 SC 124.
5. AIR 1962 SC 305
6. AIR
1952 SC 329.
7. [(1996)
5 SCC 216].
8. Madhavi Goradia Divan, Facets of
Media Law (2013), EBC Publishing (P) Ltd., 34A, Lalbagh Lucknow.
9.
Dr. S. R.
Myneni, Media Law (2013), Asia Law House, Opp. High Court, Hyderabad- 2.
10. Dr. Sukanta K. Nanda, Media Law (2014),
Central Law Publications, Darbhanga Castle, Allahabad.
11.
Hicky’s Bengal
Gazzette: Retrieved from Hindustantimes on 04 June 2021.
12.
Udant Martand:
Retrieved from THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL on 04 June 2021.
[1] Madhavi Goradia Divan,
Facets of Media Law (2013),
EBC Publishing (P) Ltd., 34A, Lalbagh Lucknow.
[2] Ajun Kumar,“Role of Media in Democracy”, available at https://www.google.com/amp/s/legadesire.com accessed
on 20-January-2019.
[3] Constituent Assembly
Debates, Vol. VII p 780 (2nd December
1948).
[5] AIR 1962 SC 305
[7] [(1996) 5 SCC 216].
[12] Madhavi Goradia Divan,
Facets of Media Law (2013),
EBC Publishing (P) Ltd.,
34A, Lalbagh Lucknow.
Article Information
ROLE PLAYED BY MEDIA/PRESS IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY
Authors: SNEHAL SANJAY JADHAV
- Journal IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Published 2023/06/14
- Issue 7
About Journal
International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis
- Abbreviation IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
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