The democratic notion often has blurry boundaries in most minds, considering how the label has been scattered over totalitarian regimes and dictatorships as well, to come away with validation.
In very simple words, a democracy means rule by the people. The name is employed for various kinds of government institutions, where people can take part in the decisions that affect the way the populace is guarded.
A free press ministers to a democracy as it encourages unbridled political debate and allows an informed nation to get engaged in stern scrutiny of the government’s undertakings and conduct. An unerringly independent press thus forms the foundation of any healthy democratic society. Consequently, a threatened free press downright heralds to the pitfalls of an entire democracy.
Incessant media-bashing by politicians who have agendas of their own to satisfy erodes public confidence in the authenticity of press. Upholding contention toward the media diminishes support for press freedom, and moreover fuels public cynicism about the very possibility of journalistic integrity, endangering the very essence of a true democracy.
Journalism in its true form is essentially free of any impositions and biases. When a press does what it should, it speaks the truth fearlessly. Political and legal emancipation of media results in the vibrancy of a democracy. Needless to state, this carte blanche comes with huge responsibility and has to be used with probity, prudence and an absolute lack of deceit.
