Uses and Abuses of The Newspaper

Points: The role of a newspaper in a democracy — Press and censorship — Freedom does not mean license.

             There is no freedom where there is no freedom of the press. Free press and free country are almost synonymous. The press or newspaper has a big role to play a democracy. It organizes public opinion. In fact, it educates the public also. Newspapers supply us with news of all kinds everyday. Newspapers arc also views paper. They make public criticism on various matters. The editorials are essays on public events or issues. Some of these are local or national, some International.
             The newspapers cater to the tastes of the readers. News on sports, films, accidents and natural calamities are also displayed in the press. A newspaper brings the whole country closer by highlighting’ the national events everyday. In short, the newspaper is one of the most powerful mass media It Is called the fourth estate.
             But if the power of the press or its freedom is misused it can do a lot of harm. If it foments encourages communalism and fails to denounce anti-national or anti-Social forces, it only abuses its power. We want freedom of the press. But freedom should not mean license or responsibility. In a democracy there is no formal restriction to writing. Nobody will support censors of the press. But the journalists themselves should seek public opinion from time to time and guide themselves accordingly. No one is above law, and no one is above criticism — even the press. The press is free, hurt it is not free to weaken or destroy the freedom of the country.