Journalism and Democracy

Journalism is a special branch of mass communication and is playing vital role in modern society. The journalism is mainly intended to inform the audiences regarding what is happening around them. The importance of journalism comes from the people's right to opinion and expression. Journalism is taken as inseparable part of nay democratic system. The press plays vital role in democratic society. It is an institution in its own right. Journalism has been considered as the fourth state in democratic system.
Journalism is the 'voice of voiceless' and it plays the role of 'watchdog' in the society. It is strong bridge between concerning authorities and the people. It handles people issues. In fact, press is the people's open forum. Press makes such an environment where people get information and be prepared in taking part in democracy. People's participation is the foundation of democracy. Press is the pillar of democracy.
Media functions in democracy as
•Informing the public
•Investigation
•Analysis
•Social Surveillance
•Public forum
•Mobilization
Mass media act as a link between the government and the people, thus building up the political fabric of the democracy. There are several channels through which the political leaders can express their views and rally public support for their policies. Through the mass media, the government can inform, explain and convince the public over their program .
The news media play also the vital role as 'watchdog' over the government, looking out for instances of malfunction and corruption. The public would have far less control over the affairs of the government without the probing questions of investigative reporters.
Access to information is essential to the health of democracy for at least two reasons. First, it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Second, information serves a “checking function” by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them.
In some societies, an antagonistic relationship between media and government represents a vital and healthy element of fully functioning democracies. In post-conflict or ethnically homogenous societies such a conflictual, tensionridden relationship may not be appropriate, but the role of the press to disseminate information as a way of mediating between the state and all facets of civil society remains critical.
While media is considered to be a part of the civil society arena, it is well known that media overlaps other functional areas of democracy and governance. For example, support for media may yield results in governance activities, particularly those related to decentralization, anti-corruption, and citizen participation in the policy process. The rule of law may be further institutionalized by support for an independent media that keeps a check on the judiciary, reports on the courts, and promotes a legal enabling environment suitable for press freedom. Free and fair elections conducted through transparent processes require a media sector which gives candidates equal access, and relationship between media and society, and the most effective ways to strengthen the media's contribution to democracy. Given this, some missions have been hesitant to engage in media sector support, even though they recognize the important role it plays in democratic transition and consolidation. Other missions, daunted by the difficulty of reporting results in this field, have decided not to undertake media activities or to focus exclusively on training. Contextual factors such as the lack of a legal enabling environment and political will within the government, business, or civil society to support media freedom all constrain missions' efforts in media sector support.
Within the context of supporting democratic transitions, the goal of media development generally should be to move the media from one that is directed or even overtly controlled by government or private interests to one that is more open and has a degree of editorial independence that serves the public interest. If the media is to have any meaningful role in democracy, then the ultimate goal of media assistance should be to develop a range of diverse mediums and voices that are credible, and to create and strengthen a sector that promotes such outlets. Credible outlets enable citizens to have access to information that they need to make informed decisions and to participate in society.
A media sector supportive of democracy would be one that has a degree of editorial independence, is financially viable, has diverse and plural voices, and serves the public interest.
The public interest is defined as representing a plurality of voices both through a greater number of outlets and through the diversity of views and voices reflected within one outlet.
Sibert, Peterson and Schramm tried to understand the intterrelationship between political system and media system. In four theories of press, Sibert, Peterson and Schramm assert that the press is always a reflection of the social and political configuration within which it operates. As they exist in free and democratic nations, the North American press then, espouses Liberal ideas and principles. These principles that comprise two major theories of study, the Social Responsibility and Libertarian theory, are the basis upon which the free press should and does run in a democratic society.
In Authoritarian theory, the state system requires direct governmental control of the mass media.The media in authoritarian class are not allowed to print or broadcast anything, which could undermine the established authority, and any offense to the existing political values is avoided. Authoritarian system can be found in Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, etc. Press works as mouthpiece of government.
In libertarian theory, media serves to provide a forum in which people can exchange ideasThe media and government are interdependent of each other, and the media frequently challenges government.
In Soviet Theory, as authoritarian, acknowledge the government as superior to the media institutions. The mass media in Soviet model is expected to self regulatory with regard to the content of their messages. The government owns the media and uses for its own greater causes. It accepts no challenges to its authority. Free expression in not valued in this system and is often punishable.
In Social Responsibility theory, media are free and have editorial independence. Government and media are separate but both interact with each other. The press on its own sees its role as serving both its financial needs and serving the public's need for information.
Journalism plays a role of mediator between citizens and politicians. People’s voices are heard through media. Media gives citizens direct access to the public sphere, in the form of open forums, talk shows, live phone calling programs, studio debates about public affairs etc.
The representative function of journalism is today enhanced by the availability of fast, interactive technologies such as e-mail, text messaging, blogging and many more. All of which provide new ways for citizens to communicate with politicians and participate in public debate. These technologies fuel the democracy to become more developed.
Media played important role in bringing democratic struggle of our country. During the Janaandolan II, King Gyanendra took power and attacked Nepali press. Lots of foreign news channels were banned to broadcast in Nepal. Kantipur contributed a lot during this period. News papers were not allowed to publish against the government and F.M. radios were not allowed to broadcast news. But, after democracy, many new channels like Sagarmatha, A venues and other radio stations started.
Democracy also ensures press freedom. Media are controlled by the government in China. People are deprived of getting information but in democratic country like ours, people enjoy the right of getting information.
A responsible media equally helps in socialization of people into citizenship, democratization of the State and political society, institutionalization of civic culture through unfettered flow of information, and rationalized use of power in social relations. In a nascent democracy like Nepal, media can also help voters with the contents of civic and political education and strengthen the culture of democracy.
Media thus perform vital tasks of informing, socializing, communicating and articulating the power of the public and preparing them for social transformation and good governance.
It is government who regulates the nation so media should cooperate with government. The government has significant role in regulating. By various means, sometime government regulates, sometimes facilitates and sometimes develops the press. In the country like ours, government is the major advertisers like advertising about poliothopa, vaccination, use of CFL bulb. Besides, government needs to communicate with people and they choose media as tool.
Media can have editorial independence only if there is democracy. It can work freely without the intervention of government. Hence, journalism and democracy are interdependent.

Reference
www.adrianmonck.com
www.nepalnews.com.np
www.usaid.gov
www.8rooks.com