The Media helps democracy to function effectively and to make sure that democracy thrives. The News agencies inform the public about government policies, programmes and how programmes can benefit the public and how they are executed or implemented.
Such information assists the public to voice out their feelings both positive and negative for the government to make any necessary changes in their planned policies to benefit the society.
In actual fact, democracy is not only about voting, public participation in policies that affects the society, is the major component in democracy. In order for the public to participate, or have any engagement with the government, they must be aware, and understand the government business of the day.
Therefore, it is the absolute responsibility for the media to fairly and honestly educate the public without fear and effectively.
Effective media
Effective media requires patience, coordinated effort and a team with a range of skills. It involves solid engagements and arrangements, detailed planning and management and stakeholder engagement, including communication and participation in policy to establish clarity.
Citizens give up their freedom or submit to the government in exchange for security, economic and social progress. In other words, for protection. Therefore, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the right of every citizen. To enhance this happiness, the media must have the freedom, the capability and power to communicate to the public on government policies and programmes.
Fourth Estate of the realm
Its function as a watchdog or monitoring of the running of the country to expose any corruption or misuse of office and holding those in power accountable has gained the media name, the Fourth Estate of the realm. This name was coined by Edmund Burke because of the role of the media as supplementary to the three branches of the Government – the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, by providing checks and balances.
It is important to say that despite a lot of irregularities, the media does play a role in nation building. Journalists must realize their responsibility towards society and aim to provide information that is clean, transparent and reliable.
There are many things that are wrong with society and the media should engage itself in the improvement of society and the nation as a whole. By addressing itself to the needs of the people, it can strengthen the very root of democracy.
In any democratic country, the media plays an important role in creating, reshaping and educating the public. The functioning of any democracy depends on the media. Former first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru said “I would rather have a completely free press with all the dangers involved in the wrong use of that freedom, than a suppressed or regulated press”.
Addressing societal ills
The reporting on mismanagement, wasteful spending, ethical lapses, incompetency and public education on environment and hygiene etc, are crucial to shape our democratic system. It plays a vital and key role in informing and educating the people. The media helps public involvement through advocating issues and transferring knowledge, skills and technologies to the people. Awareness about various rural development programmes by using the media and shaping public behaviour not only on government, awakening people against many evils prevalence in the society, and the evil practice of child labour, misuse of pesticide on agriculture products etc.
Instrument of social change
If media is used more effectively, it can become an instrument of social change. Media has exposed a number of corrupt practices, hidden deals, thus putting a check on the habit in the form of corruption in the society. The various news channels keep the vigilant citizens updated. They organize constructive debates and group discussions about the current political issues in order to enlighten the people about the democratic process.
It serves as a link or connection between the government and the people. The government’s policies and actions are conveyed to the people and the views are forcefully expressed to make the authorities aware of the public feelings.
It makes the policy makers aware of the wrongs that may otherwise escape attention. During the election period, the media can play very important role by publishing and scrutinizing the candidates, for the general public to be aware about the candidates, to whom they are planning to vote. An impartial and fearless media is the basic requirement for the success of democracy.
In recent years the media has become so powerful that it is in a position to make or break governments. The media could be blamed for or take credit for the outcome of governance. There is a saying that “he who sees evil and doesn’t say nothing is also evil”. It is the work or responsibility of the media to inform the public about good or bad t programmes or policies of the government.
Media is helping global culture in such a way that it has led to the promotion of business through advertisements. The telecasting of latest updates about techniques of economy management are fruitful to trade and commerce.
The media and IT Revolution
In the present era of IT Revolution, globalization and liberalization, the advent of internet and e-mail, has shrunken the globe to such an extent that the world can now be called a global village.
It is their responsibility to verify the legitimacy, the truthfulness and the genuineness of a product or service before putting them to the public domain. They are responsible for misinformation or misleading because on so many occasions the public has been misled through advertisements whereby poor innocent and vulnerable people lose savings or money.
The position of the media and the work must not be underestimated; the democratic value is defined by the role the media play: where the media is manipulated, policies are loosely implemented.
Both systems of media are antagonist to development and prolong nation building. In both forms of media, they can promote media biased reporting and undermine the public ability to make informed decisions and this can result in lack of objectivity and a distortion of facts. There is also a danger of spreading propaganda and media manipulation to mislead or give false information to shift public opinion in favour of the government. This can erode trust in the political process and the media. There is also the tendency to increase polarization and divisiveness in society. Also Journalists, who become more focused on keeping access to politicians to secure exclusive stories, as a result can avoid critical investigations and may fail to hold politicians accountable for their actions, leading to a lack of transparency and possible abuse of power.
Bad media
Bad media can suppress the alternative voices as a result of which it can marginalize and limit diversity of opinions, and thus stifle democratic discourse and obstruct the free flow of information and ideas, which is crucial for a healthy society in nation building.
There is also an increasing tendency for some media to project trivial things in life, and aggressively broadcast or advertise to the public beyond the imagination.
Shifting their role as the fourth estate of the realm to just a story teller. The media should work towards stories that generate confidence about creating potentials for the grassroots.
Partners in national development
The media should be a partner in national development and nation builders. Media houses that provide biased news to eventually gain benefits for themselves or propagate their selfish ideology are operated by people who have no related experience. The reported news are not transparent and guilty of endorsing news that is untrue, or biased to promote divisions in the society, this is not healthy for our democracy.
The Media plays an important role in the development of the nation state. It is right to say that the media monitors or controls the three aims of the government. The role of media is great for nation building, and the society, regardless, whether it is a democratic government or not. The work of the media in democratic society cannot be overlooked. It is a very important element of the democratic society in the development of information. Without the media, society would be deprived of important apparatus that influence development.
Most importantly, governments would be without the crucial element that directly affects the proper functioning of the system of government.
Functioning democracy requires continuous development of free press and new social relations. Free press and socio-political relations are an integral and essential part of general democratic structure.
The importance of the press in contemporary society is crucial for nation building, especially for the democratic system and the media being in the middle have a very special and important role. This role must not be taken for granted as the accurate information and the interest of the society they represent is more important than the interest of an individual. As the fourth estate of the government, the media owe society the responsibility to hold office holders accountable. It is, therefore, impeccable for the media to maintain integrity.
The Writer is an Economic Development Consultant
Pix: Dr. Edward Kwadwo Yeboah
