During the framing of the Constitution, the founding fathers bestowed enormous significance to Freedom of the Press. 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. The Indian Press has a long history right from the times of British rule in the country. 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. 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 range of his assertions, his criticisms or his comments is as wide as, and no wider than that of any other subject.” King Emperor : “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. At most, some common law freedom could be claimed by the press, as observed by the Privy Council in Channing Arnold v. In India before Independence, there was no constitutional or statutory guarantee of freedom of an individual or media/press.
“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”. Freedom of Press has perpetually been a cherished right in all democracies. 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. While such freedom mostly implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state, its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other protection. In general, we can say that Freedom of the press is the freedom of communication & expression through vehicles including various electronic media & published materials. “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”. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: 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 Freedom of the press is regarded as a “ species of which freedom of expression is a genus.” Freedom of the press is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials.
#Freedome of press free#
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 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. 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 role of media is important as a feedback, exposure, and conduit mechanism in all countries. The rights originate from the US constitution. Press is the fourth pillar of democracy, which exercises this right of freedom of speech and expression. Democracy can not survive without this right. This right is very important at the stage of the formation of the government. In a democratic set up the press can act as a bridge between the government and the people. The liberty of the press is the palladium of all the civil, political, and religious rights. This paper evaluates the contribution and necessity of freedom of the press in a democracy. Blood removes the dead cell in the same manner freedom of speech and expression removes the arbitrary government and place a democratic government. 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.
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