It is a globally acknowledged paradigm that access to information is one of the cornerstones of democracy. Therefore, the importance of people’s access to information through media cannot be underestimated in a democratic country like India. Historically, the print media has served as an indispensable pillar of the democratic system in our country and has contributed immensely to the nation building process.

Freedom of the press or Freedom of the Media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Such freedom implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state; its preservation may be sought through a constitution or other legal protection and security. It is in opposition to paid press, where communities, police organizations, and governments are paid for their copyrights.
A free press can inform citizens of their leaders’ successes or failures, convey the people’s needs and desires to government bodies, and provide a platform for the open exchange of information and ideas. When media freedom is restricted, these vital functions break down, leading to poor decision-making and harmful outcomes for leaders and citizens alike.

Without respect to governmental information, any government may distinguish which materials are public or protected from disclosure to the public. State materials are protected due to either one of two reasons: the classification of information as sensitive, classified, or secret, or the relevance of the information to protecting the national interest.

The nationalist press played an unprecedented role in shaping public opinion and channelizing the energy of people in India’s struggle for independence. Moreover, the indispensable role of the print media in strengthening the pillars of democracy and nation building was clearly felt in the immediate aftermath of independence.

The four pillars of democracy are interrelated to each other. The Legislature is held accountable by the people who elect the members of the Parliament as their representatives. The Executive is held accountable by the Legislature and is answerable to it. The Judiciary keeps a check on both the Legislature and the Executive. The Media holds all three pillars- the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary accountable.

This interconnectedness leads to a system of checks and balances and ensures smooth functioning of a democracy. In this way the rights of the citizens are protected and democracy is upheld.

Journalism is fundamental for sustainable development, human rights protection and democratic consolidation, but remains a dangerous and too often deadly profession – and nine times out of ten, the murder of a journalist is unresolved.

Threats against journalists continue to grow. Journalist imprisonment is at a record high, while online violence – particularly against women Journalists, and harassment spurs on self-censorship and, in some cases, physical attacks. Journalists have also increasingly been attacked while covering protests, by various actors, including both security forces and protest participants. Numerous reports and studies confirm that threats inordinately affect women journalists and those who represent minority groups.

The advent of Social Media has opened up many doors for journalists and citizen journalists now and barring uninterrupted dissemination of news and other information is practically not possible for the authorities but one needs to investigate if it is a real news or the fake one, before we blindly go on forwarding to masses, sometimes ignorantly and sometimes to make it viral which is very dangerous for our society.