It may not seem like it but the news we get, whether through the newspaper, radio, television or online media, are crucial to our democracy. They allow us to get complete and accurate information about the society we live in and then form and transmit opinions about the things we like and the things we do not like. They facilitate a dialogue between the citizens and those in power and in doing so, nurture a strong democracy. That is why it is so important that the media have the freedom to report and disseminate information to the public without any hindrance or interference. In other words, press freedom is essential for a democracy to thrive.

Press freedom is the right that news outlets and publications and even individual citizens have to seek, obtain and communicate information without influence or fear of retribution from any party. Basically, press freedom forbids those in places of power (the main power in a country being the government) from interfering in the editorial processes of the media operating in the territory under their jurisdiction.

Press freedom is so important that it has been considered a human right. Article 19 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights codifies press freedom along with the right to free speech. It 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 regardless of frontiers.”

Freedom of the press has also been stressed in various other binding and non-binding international documents.
For people to not only survive but live, they need certain things beyond the basic food, shelter and clothing. They need representation in the government, equality, legal protection and facilities to reach their full potential – all things only possible in a democratic state. And democratic states are only possible if the media has the freedom to pursue facts, question the elites and shed light on important issues.

Press freedom is important because it strengthens three key pillars of democracy – transparency, accountability and informed voting.
A free press promotes transparency by uncovering the truth. The average person neither has the time nor the resources to investigate issues that affect them and their communities but the media do. Journalists go after issues, analyse how things are and compare them to how things should be and bring to light the government actions.

The press gives unvarnished reporting on politicians and informs the public about corruption, patronage, embezzlement and other acts of abuse of authority.
And this brings us to the next point of accountability. In democracies, governments rule on behalf of the people. They need to be subservient to their voters and work in the best interests of the citizens. And a free press ensures that they are. It questions the government when it does not follow its mandate and exposes mismanagement and corruption.

Informed voting is the third reason why freedom of the press is important. Democracies thrive only when the voters that exercise them are as informed and knowledgeable enough to make the right decisions. A free press aids in every step of this process. It delivers information to the citizens about the issues, candidates, policies, past actions etc before they vote, fosters dialogue and debate among the people and power and offers a fair picture of the country. Without a free press, voters would be left at the mercy of special interest groups.

The role of the press in establishing and strengthening the government of the people, by the people, for the people cannot be downplayed. We have experienced this in Nepal as well. The fall of the autocratic Panchayati regime was brought as much by the mission journalism that was conducted against it as it was by the political opposition. The independent media, operating clandestinely at the time, made people aware of the corruption and mismanagement going on at the highest levels of government and taught them the value of a representative government. This helped even to bring the monarchy to its knees.

We saw something similar during the 14-month direct rule of King Gyanendra in 2005/06. The King knew that liberty could not be curtailed as long as the press stayed free. That is why he stationed security forces at the offices of media organisations and imposed censorship. But that did not stop them from reporting the truth. Journalists, at considerable risks to themselves, disseminated information about the state of affairs in the country to both Nepali citizens and the international community and helped make the second people’s movement a success. During the direct rule and immediately after its end, the press also urged the Maoists to end their violent insurgency and join peaceful mainstream politics.

If we want a vibrant democracy then we need a free press and to have a free press, we must support it. This can be done by donating to outlets that make it a point to avoid corporate influence in the form of advertising and governmental and non-governmental ownership through grants, subsidies and funds. We must participate in debates and discussions and use the media to get our voices heard at the decision-making level. We must vote for people and parties who believe in and understand the importance of the free press and make sure that they do not compromise on this by keeping a regular watch.

(Mishra is a TRN Journalist.)