JOURNALISM AT A CROSS-ROAD

                    

For the press, the French Revolution came as a boon. It was given a new epithet, Fourth Estate of democracy. Since then it is believed that like the opposition, the media also keeps a control on the governments by keeping a close and constant watch on its activities. Thus, today the world over it is accepted that the quality of any democratic dispensation is based on the amount of freedom being enjoyed by the local press. However, this highly rated press freedom appears to have been eroded in many countries in the world including  India.

It has been reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists that in 2013, seventy journalists were killed in the world, most of them in the civil war hit countries of mainly West Asia. Syria alone accounted for 29 media personnel casualties. Iraq also had a toll of 10. It goes to the credit of brave journalists that at the risk of their life they go to hot war fronts to collect the details to apprise their readers of the latest developments. No dictatorial regime or extremist favours the freedom of press. So they intentionally deal harshly with the media. Often investigative journalists, who expose crime syndicates, get threatening letters or telephonic calls and are eliminated as well.

If such anti-press inclement atmosphere prevaliled, the first victim will be democracy. Despite its several deficiencies, the world admits that still it is the best form of governance. The beauty of such governance includes, ensurance of fundamental rights and transparency. Any failure on these counts, if ignored or soft-pedalled by the rulers, the press makes it public and forces the people in power to respond  accordingly. If this powerful estate is targeted to silence, the very democratic experiment of any society will be in the throes of extinction.

Such an ugly trend cannot be arrested till peace prevails in the society. Peace bolsters democracy and democracy paves the way for peace. The dictators, mafia, and criminals will be interested to keep the peaceloving people at ransom. Therefore, it is the duty of every sane element to join hands to safeguard their democracy from the clutches of hoodlums.