Importance of Freedom of Press

Press is the most important medium of expressing opinion of the people in a democratic country that justifies one’s individual right to speech and expression, a coveted right enshrined in the Indian constitution and in the constitution of other countries on the globe. In all democratic countries, a man’s dignity is preserved through the press, and hence, there lies the importance of maintaining its freedom. The question of the freedom of the press is a debating issue that goes on still unsettled on the point whether press should be allowed to enjoy absolute freedom.

Freedom of the press is very important. An independent press acts as an important check on Governments and Administrators.

The duty of a free Press is to raise voice against any social ill or wrong. It has been said that internal vigilance is the price of liberty. To remove any bad Government or to tight against dictatorship, anarchy and malpractices, press serves the best. That is why; it may be called in the right proportion that press is the necessary pre-condition to the fulfillment of democratic ideologies.

As compared to democratic countries, press enjoys lesser freedom in socialist countries. Even in democratic countries the wrath of the ruling Government against any newspaper may snatch its freedom.

But too much censorship is bad. At the same time, newspaper should not place partial and biased news that may instigate the people against the Government. So the freedom of the press should be best utilized through publishing impartial news and creating public opinion against wrong.

We are living in an age when people are much more conscious than the past. For the actualization of national principles and ideologies, people should he given the freedom of speech and expression. But there should be a co-ordination between the Government policies and the people’s vision. Only then, the people of a free country must enjoy the spirit of self-assertion through this right.