Yesterday, the world celebrated Press Freedom Day. The declining trend that showed up in 2017 puts India in extremely poor light as far as Press freedom is concerned. The greatest so-called democracy on the planet ranked 150 out of 180 countries surveyed in the ‘World Press Freedom Index' released by ‘Reporters without Borders' in 2022. With a dismal score of 41 points only, India was among regions where the freedom of the Press was badly threatened.
In Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, in that order, the Press has a rollicking time doing superbly unbiased job fearlessly. The worst ones today include Eritrea, Iran, Turkmenistan, Myanmar and China. Germany ranks 16, UK 24 and USA at a far below 42. Amnesty International has revealed severally how ‘freedom of expression' is horrifically limited in China and North Korea.
Freedom of the Press in India is legally protected by an Amendment to the Constitution of India while the sovereignty, national integrity and moral principles are generally protected by the law of India to maintain a hybrid legal system for independent journalism.
During the British era, the miniscule number of Press guys remained engaged only in helping the dispersal of revolutionary ideas that helped in forming an opposition against the British Government. The very handful of crudely-printed or handwritten newspapers mainly helped in spreading awareness about the extreme measures taken by the colonial government, which further intensified protests and revolutionary acts against the British.
Essentially, the Press is expected to serve the governed, not the ones running governments. The freedom of Press is critical to a democracy in which the government is accountable to the people. A free media functions as a watchdog can investigate and report on government's wrongdoings. The media reports the news, serves as an intermediary between the government and the people, helps determine which issues should be discussed on priority and keeps people actively involved in society and politics particularly which affect general welfare and public wellbeing in any manner.
Freedom of the Press is a fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media agencies should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Whenever there is a social evil lurking or corruption and oppression surfacing, the Press is the first one to raise a voice.
In the Indian context, the declaration in Article 19 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 and regardless of frontiers.’
Press freedom refers to the ability of journalists and news organisations to report news without fear of censorship, persecution or other forms of government or corporate control. This freedom is essential for democracy and the protection of human rights. It allows for the free flow of information and the dissemination of ideas, opinions and news. Without Press freedom, individuals may not have access to important public information, thereby facilitating manipulative moves by governments and corporations that would find it easy to effect public discourses to their advantage.
All the same, Press freedom is not absolute and may be limited in certain circumstances such as in cases of national security, public safety or protection of personal privacy. Some limitations have to be imposed on Press freedom. However, the restrictions must have to be proportionate, and prescribed by law. It is equally important for people to know that some very basic limitations must be imposed to freedom of speech especially those relating to slander, obscenity, pornography, sedition, incitement, fighting words, classified information, copyright violation, trade secrets, food labelling, non-disclosure agreements, the right to privacy, public security and perjury. But having ensured these restrictive measures, some governments behaving in a totalitarian manner pose grave danger to upright and gutsy media people including those engaged in the hugely growing social media that promotes even the street guys without formal education to turn journalists and share amusing information that can easily disconcert even the biggest creatures occupying seats of enormous unbridled power and authority.
As is popularly recognised, Press freedom is the most important wheel of democracy. The Press is the greatest medium that conveys the truth about society to people. So, it has to be left free.
But unfortunately, Press freedom is threatened in many parts of the world where journalists face censorship, harassment, imprisonment and even violence for their truthful and honest reporting. It is important for ordinary individuals and organisations to advocate for Press freedom and protect the rights of journalists to report facts without fear.
The horrific tale of a Jadavpur University professor being in trouble for criticising a Chief Minister is still live in the minds of people. It took ten long years to get an acquittal at the court of law. A criminal case was instituted against Prof Ambikesh Mahapatra for forwarding a cartoon allegedly aimed at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Mahapatra had forwarded a cartoon featuring Banerjee and TMC leader Mukul Roy after the latter became Railway Minister replacing Dinesh Trivedi. The cartoon showed Banerjee and Roy exchanging dialogues from Satyajit Ray's 1974 detective movie ‘Sonar Kella', which alluded to the change of guard in the Ministry. Following the acquittal order, Prof Mahapatra said his arrest was ‘an attempt to throttle free speech; and those who are fighting for democracy should feel encouraged by this verdict’. A case was registered against Prof Mahapatra in April 2012 at the Purba Jadavpur police station after he forwarded the cartoon of Mamata to some people through email. He was arrested on April 14, 2012. He was much later granted bail by a court. The professor is now a hero who has inspired thousands of social media reporters to come after corrupt crooks in politics and business. The ruling Trinamool Congress biting its swollen tongue declined to attach much importance saying ‘law has taken its own course’. The abuse of police power by political or other authorities is now being increasingly exposed.
No matter how hard the powers that be try to throttle the throats of gutsy social media reporters, they would not succeed as technology has slipped through the fingers to render so powerful the even street beggars with an acquired or borrowed or stolen smart phone as to give jolts to crooks in any domain. Freedom of Press is here to stay for good. Thanks to magnificent information technology!