In the twentieth century, the press is a mighty force. It is the citadel of strength and influence. It can make a hero of a common man and a common man of a hero. A statesman has called it the Fourth Estate and another statesman has called it the people’s parliament always in session.
The press guides the public opinion which, in turn, makes or unmakes the governments. Our daily paper is constantly moulding and shaping our political opinions.
During India’s Freedom Movement, it was the Indian press that mobilized public opinion and roused public conscience. Some papers were heavily penalized for their outstanding patriotism. Heavy securities were demanded and forfeited. Sometime the editors were put behind the bars for siding with the people against the Government of the day.
Great leaders of the world have been journalists. Lord Morley in England edited the ‘Pall Mall Gazette’. Mahatma Gandhi was the editor of Young India, ‘Navjivari and ‘Harijari.
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Mr. Jinnah started ‘The Dawn’, which propagated the two-nation theory in India and secured Pakistan for the Muslims of India. Newspaper magnates wield unlimited power and influence. They can pull a minister or a government to pieces.
The war on the propaganda front is more important than the war of the armies. The press shapes as well as reflects public opinion. It both gives and takes. The public is its leader as well as follower. The press serves as a platform where the reader may express his individual grid independent views on, any burning topic of the day.
In every country, there are some papers which are nothing but arty organs. They are a mouthpiece of the party. They give us one sided views of the problems of the state and those of the world. In their case, the party interest is supreme.
Their sole aim is party propaganda and not objective presentation of facts. ‘The Dawn’ is the official paper of the Muslim League of Pakistan and ‘The Hindustan Times’ is the party organ of the Congress Party in India.
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There are some irresponsible papers. They are called the Yellow Press or the Gutter Press. They slander and vilify someone in authority, till he offers some hush-money. Then they seek some new victim and so on. Such papers are positively harmful and must be shunned.
We crave for our daily paper as a drunkard craves for a glass of liquor. They are our first interest in the morning. The daily papers do not contain news only but also informative articles on current topics, general knowledge, economic affairs and scientific inventions.
The Sunday editions of certain newspapers contain magazine sections. These sections contain interesting articles for the little folk. They contain stories, biographies and information about the latest films. They contain interesting articles on visits to important places and countries and on the burning topics in various countries of the world. They contain beautiful reviews on the latest books published in various parts of the world.
Newspapers are full of advertisements of all sorts. There are matrimonial wants, ‘situations wanted’, and ‘situations vacant’. There are admission notices and notices regarding machinery for sale or houses or bungalows on hire. They also bring the buyer and the seller nearer each other.
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Journalists are very important people. In every conference or public function, the press correspondents are given front seats. Even in Assemblies and Parliaments, the Press gallery is reserved for them.
With the spread of literacy in India and industrialization of the country, journalism will expand like anything and the press will become a power to be reckoned with.