Free media is not just important for democracy—It is democracy

With the ruthless war criminal Vladimir Putin unleashing Russian troops to attack thousands of civilians including children, women and men in neighbouring Ukraine, the world is witnessing one of the biggest battles between democracy and dictatorship. Traditionally democracy is built on four pillars—the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the free media. All four need to play a responsible role, so that the sovereignty and the economic needs of the people are met, especially the needs of poverty-stricken people. Unfortunately, this is not happening in Sri Lanka today with the executive branch playing an excessively commanding role while most people are finding it difficult to provide three proper meals to their families while we continue to be afflicted by long hours of power cuts and long queues for fuel, gas, powered-milk and other essential items.   

It is in this context that we mark the United Nations World Media Freedom Day. Journalists as they mature in profession or vocation need to be aware of the basic principles of being fair, accurate and balanced in their reporting or feature writing. More journalists also need to go into the creative and investigative aspects which are difficult and sometimes dangerous. Essentially, journalists need to be the voice of the voiceless, poverty-trapped people. If they have any other motive such as making big money, it would be better for them and for the people, if such journalists find some other jobs. Journalists also need to remember the guidance given by one of America’s great publishers William Randolph Hearst. He said news is something that someone wants suppressed. The rest is advertising.   

In a statement to mark the World Media Freedom Day, the UN says the theme “Information as a Public Good” serves as a call to affirm the importance of cherishing information as a public good, and exploring what can be done in the production, distribution and reception of content to strengthen journalism, and to advance transparency and empowerment while leaving no one behind. The theme is of urgent relevance to all countries across the world. It recognizes the changing communications system that is impacting on our health, our human rights, democracies and sustainable development.  

To underline the importance of information within our online media environment, World Media Freedom Day will highlight three key topics: Steps to ensure the economic viability of news media; mechanisms for ensuring transparency of Internet companies; enhanced Media and Information Literacy (MIL) capacities that enable people to recognize and value, and defend and demand, journalism as a vital part of information as a public good.  
World Media Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of General Conference of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is celebrated worldwide as World Media Freedom Day.  

After 30 years, the historic connection made between the freedom to seek, impart and receive information and the public good remains as relevant as it was at the time of its signing. May 3 acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. It is an opportunity to: celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; assess the state of press freedom throughout the world ;defend the media from attacks on their independence ;and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.  

As the United Nations agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, UNESCO works to foster free, independent and pluralistic media in print, broadcast and online. Media development in this mode enhances freedom of expression, and it contributes to peace, sustainability, poverty eradication and human rights. For UNESCO, pluralistic and diverse media provides information options so that the public can make good choices. This is why today UNESCO also helps to build community media in particular, and why UNESCO fosters gender equity in the media. To empower individuals as informed producers and consumers of information, UNESCO has initiatives in media and information literacy and in journalism education.  

American broadcast journalist and well-known news anchor Walter Cronkite says that the Freedom of the media is not just important to democracy, it is democracy. The famous US president John F. Kennedy has said that A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people, while one of the world’s greatest statesmen Mahatma Gandhi has stressed that the Freedom of the media is a precious privilege that no country can forego.