Why Democratic Countries Need Free Press?
Journalists exist for reasons uncommon to most
“Journalism can never be silent: That is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.” — Henry Anatole Grunwald
CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour said press freedom is the rock on which “our societies, our communities, our world” is built. Defining it as the power of various media platforms to report information that underwent rigorous fact-checking and editing without censorship from the authorities is also permissible. These definitions nonetheless reveal that press freedom plays a fundamental role in seeking and telling the truth even in unconventional ways.
Columbia School of Journalism founder Joseph Pulitzer stated that the primary role of media is “to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Regarded as the fourth estate, the press is responsible for guarding the three branches — the executive, legislative, and judiciary — of any republican country. For his part, one of the founding fathers of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, referred to the press as the “necessary evil” in democratic societies due to its adversarial nature by scrutinizing and practicing vigilance in the government, ensuring that abuses or malpractices of public officials are checked.
Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa, meanwhile, claimed “without press freedom, there is no democracy.” Indeed, in the absence of a watchdog, abuse of power, not limited to corruption, would be prevalent among government personnel. Decisions were made based on personal or family interests, instead of being people-centered. Anti-poor policies will deprive the masses of their basic human rights. Journalists serve as dogs barking on vulgar trying to steal from the owners. Resources should be distributed adequately to every sector to fulfill and reach their destinies and media practitioners make such happen.
By censoring the truth, according to Amanpour, people fall to fake news and propaganda disguised as reliable and credible information. Journalists contextualize their stories to allow the masses to understand the extent of an issue, both its pros and cons which are crucial for knowledgeable decision-making. She furthered that “the difference between democracies and dictatorships is truth and lies.” With the press, alternative interpretations and understandings are presented to see the problem as plural rather than singular. For instance, during the Martial Law employed by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Filipinos consumed disinformation, which was designed to paint a progressing Philippine nation amid the humungous wealth stolen by the Marcos family and their cronies. Shutting down media and journalists made it easier for the Marcoses to fabricate the threads of reality to ensure the longevity of their militaristic rulership.
With the press, alternative interpretations and understandings are presented to see the problem as plural rather than singular.
The press also reinforces the democracy vested by the 1987 Constitution to every Filipino citizen. Section 4 of the Bill of Rights in the constitution states: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” As cited in the provision, the press can freely act as a mediator between the people and the government. Through journalists, the unheard voices could lobby their concerns on the government, including transformative reforms and maintaining rights. It is nonetheless a shared responsibility that media practitioners work out to be possible.
The presence of a free press enables the countrymen to be vigilant if the government functions for the greater good of the people. For instance, the corruption committed by former president Joseph Estrada and the Pork Barrel Scam, involving senators Bong Revilla, Juan Ponce Enrile, and Jinggoy Estrada would not possibly be known by the public. Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war, “gentleman’s agreement” with China, and other possible abuses while in power may also forever be forgotten. Currently, it is Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. whom journalists are monitoring. To seek and tell the truth while upholding such principles is the main role played by media practitioners.
A free press is a haven for the voiceless, such as the unrepresented and marginalized communities. Out of fear despite the abuses committed against them, these minority groups are left behind without a chance to dissent. Filipino journalists, by virtue of the Republic Act No. 53 or the Press Freedom Law, are given the power to keep their sources confidential. Although still at risk of retaliation from the bad actors, people gain the freedom to speak and share their stories.
Without fear or favor, the press for the sake of the people has the right to write and report stories of corruption, violation of human rights, and other abuses within the government “as they stand for the civic right, political rights, and religious rights of the people (Singh, 2019).”
Disclaimer: I wrote this essay last 2020 for our Journalism Ethics course when I was a second-year journalism student. I made minor to major tweaks to ensure this written output remains timely and relevant.
