If it were left on me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter
-Thomas Jefferson
Good governance is an indefinite term used to describe that how public institutions perform public affairs and manage public resources. Governance is that the process of decision-making and therefore the procedure by which decisions are implemented. Good governance is about the processes for creating and implementing decisions. It is not about making ‘Correct’ decisions but about the simplest possible procedure for making those decisions.
The notion of good governance centers around the responsibility of the governments and governing bodies to achieve the wants of the masses as against select groups in society.
Media generally refers to mass media, which is any medium that provides citizens with information regarding all the current affairs of any area at a large scale. It is unbiased reporting of facts through print, television, radio, or the Internet.
Traditionally and Constitutionally, the media is not having a defined role in governance. It does not have the power to change any decisions made by the various arms of a state that is the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.
Yet, the media plays one of the most significant roles in the functioning of any society. It amplifies the voice of citizens and passes on their opinions to the lawmakers.
Media is also known as the fourth pillar of Democracy. Obtain information is important for a democratic society because it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation and information also serves a checking function. It is very well known that media overlaps other functional areas of democracy and governance.
According to the first press commission in India freedom of the press refers to hold opinions, receiving, and imparting information through the printed word without any interference from any public authority. It is the right of the citizen to publish without any prior permission from the government or any other public authority, subject only to the legal liability for what he has chosen to publish.
Freedom of the press has three essential features viz.,
1. Freedom of publication
2. Freedom of access to all sources of information
3. Freedom of circulation
Press freedom plays a vital role in the formulation of public opinion on issues of public importance. Television and radio have made important attainment in educating rural illiterate masses in making them conscious of all the events in their language. The media uncover loopholes within the democratic system, which eventually helps the govt in filling the gaps of loopholes and making a system more accountable, responsive, and citizen-friendly. A democracy with no media is sort of a vehicle without wheels.
Jawaharlal Nehru called media ‘the watchdog of our democracy’. This handed the media a huge responsibility in the functioning of our society. Thus media plays the role of communicator in democracy.
The role of media in India, the largest democracy of the world is different from merely disseminating information and entertainment. Educating the masses for their social upliftment needs to be in its ambit as well.
Good governance is an ideal system which is difficult to achieve in its totality. The journey of India from developing nation to a developed nation will depend on the role played by the media in the country.
The media, their significant roles, channels and contents, are considered to be the most powerful weapon to make this achievement a reality.
Social Media has impacted on Governance in the following ways:-
- Political participation
- Instant option like Facebook, twitter and so on.
- Transparency and Accountability
- Peacebuilding
- Private sector
- Internal governance
Aishwarya Says:
I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.
If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.
Do follow me on Facebook, Twitter Youtube and Instagram.
The copyright of this Article belongs exclusively to Ms. Aishwarya Sandeep. Reproduction of the same, without permission will amount to Copyright Infringement. Appropriate Legal Action under the Indian Laws will be taken.
If you would also like to contribute to my website, then do share your articles or poems at adv.aishwaryasandeep@gmail.com
We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs.
We are also running a series Inspirational Women from January 2021 to March 31,2021, featuring around 1000 stories about Indian Women, who changed the world. #choosetochallenge