Write a note on the responsibility of media

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

According to the commission of freedom of press, ‘freedom’ means :
(1) Freedom of thinking.
(2) Freedom of expression (speech, writing, printing etc.) Freedom of expression is the protector and promoter of all types of freedom.
(3) Freedom of action is without any control or restriction from outside.
(4) Freedom of use of required devices.

Free press means :
(a) An absence of definite restrictions.
(b) No censorship except during wars.
(c) No courts order, no administrative order against opinion publications.
In short, we can define freedom of press as “freedom of collecting, transmitting and publishing information.” Each society has its own meaning of the word ‘Free Press‘ Different societies have interpreted the meaning of free press in accordance with their own values and requirements. It will be interesting to note some of the objectives of the free press were discussed in Geneva Conference on “Freedom of Information” on March
23, 1948.

Due to various interpretations of free press in various societies, media practitioners divided the world of the press into four categories, i.e.,
1. Democratic
2. Authoritarian
3. Communist
4. Socially responsible (SRT has different meaning in different societies).
Here it is not possible to go into the detail of each press system, but the conclusion is known to very competent journalist that except in abstract, complete freedom of the press can never be obtained fully. That is the freedom of the press to criticize, to express opinion, and to publish facts is restricted in the public interest in several ways.

Towards Responsibility :
(a) Press should present a truthful, comprehensive and intelligent account of the day’s events in a context which gives them meaning
(b) That it must project a representative picture of the constituent groups in the society.
(c) That it must present and classify the goals and values of the society.
(d) That it must give readers “Full access to the day’s intelligence.”

The right of a newspaper to attract and hold readers is restricted by nothing but considerations of public attention it gains serves to determine its sense of responsibility, which it shares with every member of its staff. A journalist who uses his power for any selfish or otherwise unworthy purpose is faithless to a high trust.