press

silenced... all means of The press [is] the only tocsin of a nation. [When it] is completely silenced... a general effort [are] taken away ." --Thomas Jefferson Introduction

The freedom of speech and expression has been characterised as “the very life of civil libert liberty” y” in the Consti Constitue tuent nt Assemb ssembly ly Debat Debates es.. The The freedo freedom m of the press press !hile !hile not reconised as a separate freedom under #undamental $ihts is folded into the freedom of  speech and expression.  The %upreme Court has described this freedom as the “ar& of the covenant of democracy”. The freedom of the press serves the larer purpose of the riht of the people to be informed of a broad spectrum of facts vie!s and opinions. 't is the medium throuh !hich people ain ain acces accesss to ne! inform informati ation on and ideas ideas an essent essential ial compon component ent of a functi functioni onin n democracy. democracy. Thus “the survival and flo!erin of 'ndian democracy o!es a reat deal to the freedom and viour of our press.” The media is vital in the role it plays in uncoverin the truth and rousin public opinion especially in the face of !rondoin and corruption.  (umerous examples exist !here the media has played a central role in revealin corrupt  practices and shapin shapin the demand for accountability accountability and ood overnance. overnance. The History Of Media  Arthashastra’. The )uslim rulers The history of media in 'ndia dates bac& to Kautilya’s ‘ Arthashastra’.  brouht into effect a system by appointin appointin a *+a,aya *+a,aya (avis (avis events reporter/ in every *%uba capital.#or the common people ne!s !as circulated by proclamations and throuh !ord of mouth. 't !as in the 01th century that Christian missionaries first brouht the  printin press to 'ndia. 'ndia. 'ndias first ne!spaper ne!spaper and the first printed printed !ee&ly appeared appeared on 23th 4anuary 0567 . James Augustus Hicky brouht out the first issue of the Bengal Gazette’ Gazette’ or *Calcutta General Advertiser’ . 't constituted of ten paes only. The paper !as opposed to the 8ast 'ndia Company. 't stronly upheld the liberty of the press. The second ne!spaper of 'ndia !as the Indian Gazette established in (ovember 0567. 9radually in #ebruary 056: !ere published the Calcutta Gazette and Oriental Advertiser . 'n 056; came the  Bengal ournal and the !riental "agazine and the Calcutta Amusement  !hich !as the first monthly publication.2: 'n 0561 came the Calcutta chronicle in 056; $ichard Johnsten started the  "adras Courier . ala >a4pat $ais * *eople’# (atra4ans ‘Indian ocial !e+or&er’ and