In 2005 the yearly World Press Freedom Day international conference on the 3th of may made a statement, containing: “independent and pluralistic media are essential for ensuring transparency, accountability and participation as fundamental elements of good governance and human-rights based development”. In addition, they said to all countries and people involved: “respect the function of the news media as an essential factor in good governance, vital to increasing both transparency and accountability in decision-making processes and to communicating the principles of good governance to society”. As they are saying, the media, also known as the press, has a huge influence …show more content…
Print media is literally news printed on paper. Publications as newspapers, magazines, newsletters and journals are examples of this. The use of this kind of media has decreased, but there are still many people gaining the latest news through these sources. When news is reported on the radio or on television it is called broadcast media, this is a very important way and common way of reporting news. Following is the Internet, the source were people rely on the most. The Internet can cover all ways of delivering the news: through a text, audio and video. Despite reporting news, media is also used by people to share their opinion on something. In connection with all elections, this is a hugely important use of the press. An extend on traditional ways of delivering the news are weblogs. Bloggers write down their opinion on recent issues and news events and others respond on them. That’s how online discussions can …show more content…
This paragraph will focus on what the press has to do with democracy. Having the freedom to vote and knowing how to vote are not the only important parts of a democratic election, but the progress towards the voting is also essential. Voters should get access to information about parties, policies, candidates, not to mention the election progress itself. Moreover, voters should be able to take part in debates about the election and the policy matters. As said in the first paragraph, weblogs and other websites give the people the opportunity to participate in these debates. The media does not only give the possibility for interaction between voters, but also gives the parties and candidates the chance to interact with their public. All this is due to freedom of speech, the reason why not only everybody is allowed to tell people around them what is on their minds, but also to express facts and opinions through the press. Another role of the media is to be a watchdog to the elections, making sure that everything is still going democratically and legally. The media makes it basically impossible for candidates to make any move without the world knowing. This withholds candidates from doing something illegal and it makes them be more careful about what they say, even when they are not giving a speech or being in a public debate.