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Can The Media Pledge To Reclaim Its Space on World Press Freedom Day?

On World Press Freedom Day, it's even more apparent, there can never be a substitute for a real journalist. Those who are fearless, with an unshakeable character, and no greed for fame, power, or money alone qualify to uphold press freedom.

By Shalini Singh
New Update
World Press Freedom Day

World Press Freedom Day | Representative image | Photo courtesy: Special arrangement

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It is May 3 - the World Press Freedom Day - time for the annual discussion on what the media should be, but isn’t, and how press freedom must be protected when in reality, globally no one is being able to prevent its complete sabotage.

Press freedom is universally recognised as the cornerstone of human rights and an invaluable pillar of any democratic system of government. However, impediments to press freedom, including threats to life, livelihood and reputation, led to the United Nations General Assembly declaring May 3 as World Press Freedom Day to remind governments of their duty to uphold freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights as also to generate awareness about the importance of media freedom.

In an ideal world, information is a public good and it is the responsibility of journalists to obtain vital information that the wealthy and powerful do not want placed in the public domain, and to act as intelligent and impartial disseminators of the information in the public interest.

The most important function of the media is disseminating and analysing information. In doing so, the media must also inevitably play a crucial role in holding the government and other figureheads of authority accountable, acting as watchdogs to check corruption and abuse of power, advocating transparency, safeguarding democratic principles, setting the agenda for meaningful change, promoting political participation and fostering public awareness and discourse.

Since it is not an ideal world, press freedom comes under savage attack from governments, corporations, the mafia and other vested interests, but the worst and most unexpected ambushes come from within the media organisation itself.

As a journalist, I worked for 21 years working with some of the largest and most influential media brands in India. My first landmark expose occurred in 2007, uncovering the Rs 1.76 lakh crore 2G scandal, which exposed  360 degree corruption across the ruling UPA government, the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office, the telecom mini

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