essay on the power of press

The Power of the Press

The first African American newspaper, Freedom’s Journal, was published in 1827. Ever since, African Americans have used the press to establish an independent voice for Black communities and advance the struggle for freedom and equality. Publishers and journalists challenged racism by exposing injustice, reporting on civil rights activism, and presenting positive images of Black identity and achievement. Black newspapers served local as well as regional and national audiences, helping to foster a sense of community and shared interests among African Americans living in different areas of the country. Publications also reflected the diversity of Black people in the United States and throughout the diaspora. Through a wide range of subjects—political issues, society news, arts and culture, religion, business, travel, and more—the Black press captured and reflected the aspirations, struggles, triumphs, and everyday experiences of Black America.

Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm

Ida B. Wells

The North Star, May 26, 1848

Printing plate of Jacqueline Le Protti from the Chicago Defender, 1945

The American Negro Writer and His Roots: Selected Papers from the First Conference of Negro Writers, March, 1959

The Power of the Press: Resources

NMAAHC Collection Search

The Black Press

Search the Museum’s online collection for items related to the history of publishing and the Black press

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Trade association of the more than 200 African American-owned community newspapers from around the U.S. and producer of the BlackPressUSA Network

Black Press Research Collective

Digital scholarship and archival resources relating to the historical and contemporary role of Black newspapers in African Diasporic communities

Black Quotidian

Everyday History in African American Newspapers

Digital humanities project by scholar Matthew F. Delmont explores the history of daily life in the 20th century through the lens of the Black press

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The Power of the Press: Media’s Role in Democracy

Democracy! The Podcast  is brought to you by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) with support from the United States Agency for International Development through the Global Elections and Political Transitions Award.

As the rise of corruption, authoritarian power and nefarious interference takes hold in many countries the power of the press has been challenged throughout the globe.  In this episode of Democracy! The Podcast , we’ll examine the role media plays in sustaining a free and independent society, and why the bad guys always take first aim at the press corps.

First, we head to Kosovo to hear what our consortium partners, Nancy Soderberg and Pajtim Gashi from the National Democratic Institute, are doing to counter disinformation and misogyny.

Then, Jeanne Bourgault, President and CEO of Internews, our partner who trains independent journalists and digital rights activists, shares what journalists deal with in a compromised information space.

Finally, we have a candid conversation with USAID Director of the Democracy, Rights and Governance Center Rosarie Tucci about media sustainability and what the future holds.

Find this episode on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and the player  below :  

Special thanks to:  

• Rosarie Tucci , Director of the Democracy, Rights and Governance Center at USAID
• Jeanne Bourgault , President and CEO of Internews
• Nancy Soderberg , NDI Resident Senior Director, Kosovo
• Pajtim Gashi , NDI Senior Program Manager, Kosovo  

Key Links from the Episode:  

• Check out NDI’s  Kosovo’s Vibrant Democracy: Closing the deficit in women’s full participation
• Check out more information from  Internews
• V-Dem Democracy Report 2021:  Autocratization Turns Viral

Download the transcript from this episode here . Download the episode here .

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through CEPPS. Established in 1995, CEPPS pools the expertise of three premier international organizations dedicated to democratic development: IFES, IRI, and NDI. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.  

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The Power of the Press: The Effects of Press Frames in Political Campaign News on Media Perceptions

2008, Atlantic Journal of Communication

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Social Media and the Power of Press

Today, social media is one of the most powerful sources to distribute information, arouse public interest, and deliver a message about the offered services and ideas. At the end of 2020, Nike introduced one of its best social media campaigns to demonstrate the worth of sports and the inevitable impact of the pandemic on the world. Its #YouCan’t Stop Us is powerful in its inclusiveness and perseverance, with more than 11 million watchers during the coronavirus crisis (Alcorn, 2020). In addition to the role of sport in human life, Nike finds it obligatory to support all people around the globe and underline the significance of such topics as social justice, diversity, ethical freedoms, and cooperation.

Many positive and negative attitudes toward this campaign were offered. Although most people define it as exceptional and motivating, others unjustly persecuted it for being ethically hypothetical because human-right abuses emerged in China (Alcorn, 2020). However, Nike continues using social media resources to spread its vision and hopes for a better future where every individual can become stronger. Nothing can stop people if they are together and united with one goal and one dream. Public response to this ad is mostly predictable because everyone needs more motivational sources today to deal with the pandemic and find themselves in sports.

Alcorn, C. (2020). Nike’s viral ‘you can’t stop us’ ad is winning big on social media. CNN Business . Web.

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"Social Media and the Power of Press." IvyPanda , 21 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/social-media-and-power-of-press/.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Media — The Power of Media in Shaping Public Opinion

The Power of Media in Shaping Public Opinion

• Categories: Media

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Words: 1096 |

Published: Feb 7, 2024

Words: 1096 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Historical overview of media influence on public opinion, the role of media in influencing public opinion, case studies of media influence on public opinion, positive and negative effects of media influence on public opinion, enhancing media responsibility in influencing public opinion, a. agenda setting, d. persuasion, a. positive effects, b. negative effects, c. ethical considerations.

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Power of the Press Defined for News Consumers

Notice in those words not a mention of celebrity content, mobile devices nor “aspirational” reportage that feels good without doing any good.

But also notice in those words the key to the future for newsrooms across the nation:  A visible role in the daily life of the nation rooted in real benefit and sustained credibilityNewsprint may not be the medium-of-choice today for many readers, and perhaps certainly not the one for the desired next generation of readers. But the news organizations behind what certainly will be a blend of printed and electronic pages must be again the mediums-of-choice for that group, whether they be thought-leaders in society, officeholders in government or voters.The nation – our audience – needs facts, presented clearly, accurately and completely.  For those who are help rapt by the comings and goings of the Kardashians and turn away from discussion of policy in the Keystone Pipeline System debate: Well, perhaps it’s time to say “goodbye” and leave them to vacuous talking heads, unreal “reality” shows and the assortment of cable TV geek-fests that offer a chance to feel superior just by sitting on a sofa.

“Targeted circulation” indeed.  Let’s leave behind the prideful ignorant who proclaim little faith and demonstrate even less actual consumption of news, and target those readers and users who want news and data and informed decisions – and who will pay a reasonable fee to get it.

Ok, not as easy to gather in and report out as feature items and single-interview chats.  It means bucking the system to place journalists in seats where daily decisions are made and social issues discussed  – from City Hall to church pews.  It means bringing the news of the day in new ways, but with the same old standards that separated opinion from fact, news pages from editorials and commentary from reporting.

The Newseum Institute’s latest State of the First Amendment national survey, published on July 4, showed that 70% of respondents disagreed with the statement that “overall, the news media tries to report the news without bias.”

To be sure, the change of bias has been leveled at journalists since the nation began – and was, in fact, welcomed by many in the first “journals of opinion” and later by media moguls making no pretence at publishing anything but “news” filtered through their own views.

But, over time, and by dint of the hard work and credible reporting by tens of thousands of journalists – in newspapers, and later in radio, television and now online – readers, listeners, views and users gave their loyalty to news operations that brought them what they needed.

As emotional as one can be when waxing about ink-on-newsprint, it was the information that was printed with that ink, on those pages, that made newspapers strong and powerful – and that information was the stuff – not the fluff – of life.

Of course there is room for entertaining, uplifting stories and reports on that part of the day that makes us chuckle, smile or simply shake a head. But editorial decisions ought not to start and end there. “Click-bait” ought not to squeeze out real debate. “Metrics” ought not to rule over meaning. And the challenge in thorough reporting on the county’s budget next year ought to mean finding a new way – perhaps through the new studies of gaming technology as applied to news reporting – of telling a complex story. Decades ago, USA TODAY showed us how color weather maps and national sports rankings could be fun while still bringing needed information to commuters, gardeners and golfers – and while also reporting on AIDS, national security issues and unsafe military vehicles.

Consider that most news today still originates with mainstream media – and that the value for those aggregators was simply in finding a new way to package and deliver the content. A simple text-and-photo site called Craig’s List wreaked havoc on the financial underpinnings of a massive industry just by finding an easier way to post and peruse the same information.  Cannot we collectively continue to find such innovation within newsrooms as well?

Journalists have learned many hard lessons over the last two decades: Nobody really loved us because of our nameplates, innovation was not just a good idea but a daily consideration on survival, and we no longer are the gatekeepers anymore between news makers and news consumers.

But, in those tough, even brutal, decades, we’ve also discovered how to make our pages come alive – literally, via the Web – and found new ways to know about and be in contact with those interested in news and information. To the old axiom about being “Clear, concise and accurate” those who have survived have added “responsive.”

The power of the press was, is now, and will be in the future, bringing consumers the news they need – and having the fortitude to seek and report the news they don’t even yet know they need, but will. Ignorance and apathy is the challenge. Credibility and necessity are the means to overcome those challenges.

Gene Policinski is chief operating officer of the Newseum Institute and of the Institute’s First Amendment Center.

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Essay on Power of Media

Students are often asked to write an essay on Power of Media in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Power of Media

Introduction.

Media, a powerful tool, influences our society significantly. It’s like a mirror, reflecting our world and shaping our views.

Media’s Role

Media informs, educates, and entertains us. It’s a source of news, facts, and ideas, helping us stay updated.

Media’s Influence

Media shapes public opinion. It can highlight issues, driving change and progress.

In conclusion, media wields immense power. It’s our responsibility to use it wisely.

Also check:

• Speech on Power of Media

250 Words Essay on Power of Media

The ubiquitous influence of media.

Media, across its myriad forms, holds immense power in shaping public opinion, influencing political discourse, and driving social change. In the digital age, its impact is more pervasive than ever, making it a potent tool in the hands of the informed and the uninformed alike.

Media as a Social Catalyst

Media’s role as a social catalyst cannot be overstated. It not only disseminates information but also contributes to the formation of societal attitudes. For instance, media campaigns have been instrumental in raising awareness about climate change, thereby influencing public behavior towards more sustainable practices.

The Double-Edged Sword

However, the power of media is a double-edged sword. While it can educate, it can also mislead. The rise of ‘fake news’ and misinformation is a testament to this fact. The ability of media to manipulate public sentiment and sway opinions underscores the need for media literacy among consumers.

Media and Democracy

In democratic societies, media plays a crucial role. It acts as a watchdog, holding governments accountable and ensuring transparency. However, the misuse of media for propaganda, censorship, and control poses a threat to democratic values.

In conclusion, the power of media is undeniable. It can shape societies, influence policies, and alter perceptions. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Therefore, it is imperative to promote responsible media consumption and production, to harness its power for the greater good.

500 Words Essay on Power of Media

Introduction to the power of media.

Media, in its numerous forms, plays an integral role in modern society. It serves as a mirror of the world, reflecting societal norms, values, and changes. From newspapers to social media platforms, media has the power to shape public opinion, influence decisions, and bring about social change.

Media as a Tool for Information

Media is a powerful tool for disseminating information. It provides a platform for sharing news, ideas, and perspectives on a global scale. The advent of digital media has further amplified its reach, enabling real-time updates on events happening worldwide. This instant access to information has made citizens more aware and involved, fostering a global community.

The Influence of Media on Public Opinion

Media significantly influences public opinion. It has the power to highlight issues, frame narratives, and steer public discourse. By choosing what to report and how to present it, media can shape perceptions and attitudes. This power can be constructive, fostering understanding and empathy, or it can be destructive, inciting fear and hatred.

Media and Social Change

Media can be a catalyst for social change. It has the capacity to spotlight social injustices, stir public sentiment, and mobilize collective action. The role of media in movements like the Civil Rights Movement, the Arab Spring, and the #MeToo movement underscores its power to effect change. However, this power must be wielded responsibly to ensure it promotes progress rather than discord.

Media as a Platform for Advocacy

Media serves as a platform for advocacy. It provides a voice to the voiceless, amplifying messages that might otherwise go unheard. It can raise awareness about critical issues, advocate for policy changes, and rally support for causes. This advocacy role of media is particularly important in democratic societies, where it can hold power to account and protect the rights of the marginalized.

The Double-Edged Sword of Media Power

While the power of media is undeniable, it is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can enlighten, empower, and unite. On the other, it can misinform, manipulate, and divide. The rise of fake news and echo chambers in the digital age highlights the potential dangers of media power. Therefore, media literacy is crucial. It equips individuals with the skills to critically evaluate media content and make informed decisions.

In conclusion, the power of media is immense and multifaceted. It can inform, influence, instigate, and advocate. It shapes our world, our perceptions, and our actions. As we navigate the media-saturated digital age, we must strive to harness the positive power of media while mitigating its potential pitfalls. The power of media, when wielded responsibly, can be a force for good, driving societal progress and fostering global understanding.

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Essay on Freedom of the Press for Students and Children

500 words essay on freedom of the press.

Freedom of the press is the most important wheel of democracy. Without a free press, a democracy cannot exist. In fact, the press is a great medium that conveys the truth to people. However, it cannot function fully if the press is not free.

People must have heard the saying about the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. Thus, it is the media’s responsibility to remain vigil for people’s safety. Moreover, the freedom of people is monitored by the media. The press watches those in power to ensure they do not misuse it. In order to do this, freedom of the press is required.

Importance of Freedom of the Press

The press has been given the responsibility of checking and balancing the administration and the government. Whenever there is a social evil lurking or corruption and oppression happens, the press is the first one to raise a voice.

Moreover, we trust the press to collect verify and disseminate the facts and figures which influence people’s decisions. If the press won’t have the liberty to do all this, the people will be in the dark.

Therefore, we see how if even any one of these liberties is take away from the press, the voiceless will lose their voice. Worse yet, if the press will be denied to do their job, the ones in power will run the country as per their will. This will result in uninformed citizens who will thus become powerless.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Moreover, we see how censorship of the press is nothing less than a dictatorship. When the government imposes censorship on the press, it obviously means they are trying to hide something. A person only hides lies and not the truth. Thus, this way the citizens will be manipulated into thinking there is nothing wrong with the government. Subsequently, when there remains no agency to report the truth, the government will gain absolute power.

In short, freedom of the press is important for the smooth functioning of democracy. It is important for people to be socially aware of happenings in the world. One must have the power to criticize the government; it will keep the administration on their toes to do better for the country.

Responsibility a Free Press

As we can conclude from the earlier statements, the press has a huge responsibility on their shoulders. They need to be vigilant and honest. Media has a powerful role to play in any form of government, whether democratic or totalitarian. The information they distribute helps in shaping the views of the public.

When you have such a power to influence the views of a whole public, then you must be even more responsible. In fact, the media is sometimes more powerful than the government. They have people’s trust and support. However, such a power given to any individual or agency is quite dangerous.

In other words, any media without restraints can be hazardous. As they have the power to showcase anything, they may report anything and twist the facts as per their agendas. They have the power to cause outrage amongst the people. A free press can easily manipulate the public’s opinion. This is why we need responsible journalism to refrain the media from reporting false facts which may harm the harmony and peace of a country.

FAQs on Freedom of the Press

Q.1 Why is freedom of the press important?

A.1 Freedom of the press is important for keeping people informed. A free press monitors the administration and forces them to work for the betterment of the country.

Q.2 What is the responsibility of a free press?

A.2 A free press has a huge responsibility of reporting the truth and shaping people’s opinions. Responsible journalism must be practiced to stop people from spreading hate and maintaining the harmony of a country.

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Short Essay on Power of Media [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In today’s lesson, you will learn how you can write short essays on ‘Power of Media.’ There will be three different sets of short essays on the same topic covering different word limits. 

Short Essay on Power of Media in 100 Words

The term ‘’media’’ is derived from the word ‘’medium’’, which refers to the way through which information is transferred from one person to another. Media as the collection of several types of equipment enable the spreading of news and messages far and wide.

Several modes of communication like television, telephone, radio, internet, newspaper, advertisements, allow us to impart knowledge about important issues in our life. Media is extremely powerful in its speed of spreading accurate information. At any specific time, we observe how media personals work at several places and give us the news most required. Any scandal, rumour, facts,  everything is noted by the media and explained to us in due course. 

Short Essay on Power of Media in 200 Words

Media is the way of mass communication and entertainment. It is the process through which the masses of people are communicated and united under one single piece of information. Media or the several forms of information medium fall under the group of information technology.

All of them act together to deliver error-free news and information so that democracy is not disturbed by fake information. Media includes newspapers, magazines, telephone, television, internet, advertisement, emails, messages, cinemas, and others. Media acts through both audio and visual effects to create the maximum effect. 

The biggest power of media lies in its potential to persuade people to take necessary action. When we hear a newsreader dictating the news, then the listeners are swayed by the intonation of the reader. The person speaks in order to claim the truthfulness of the piece of information. In the exact same manner, a newspaper is organized to direct the opinions of the readers in a certain course.

Advertisements are the most powerful ways of media. We are highly influenced by it and inspired to take ready actions that are necessary. At present, the internet is the media that share all news with the greatest speed. 

Short Essay on Power of Media in 400 Words

The influence of media in our lives is of immense importance. It not only imparts us news and pieces of information but is the biggest source of entertainment. Cinema and music as parts of media give us pure joy and happiness, which also enables us to entertain ourselves. Yet the majority of the media is concentrated on gathering correct information and delivering it to the country.

Media includes newspapers, radio, T.V., telephone, internet, advertisements, placards and posters, and others. All these are our constant companions that allow us to form our opinions on different issues regarding life, society, and country. 

Media is powerful in its mode of persuasion. The biggest capacity of any media equipment is that it can easily manipulate the opinion of people and allow them to form a specific sort of perspective. The best weapon in this regard is the newspaper. The way a newspaper is arranged and the headlines are prepared, makes this persuasion quite easy. The visual and literal aspects of a newspaper are the sole power of media. The same goes for the advertisements as well.

The visual and written content of advertisements equally influences us to buy a product or service. For the newsreaders, their intonation is the power. The way they narrate a news story enables listeners to realize the significance of the news. The diction of a newsreader is important in this regard that helps to grab the attention of the people. Media is the potential way to unite the country under one principle and equal opinion. The issue lies with the efficiency of the journalist.

He risks every danger so as to collect authentic news for the benefit of mankind. The efficiency of the strength of media lies at every stratum of collecting the information and converting it into the news. Be it the print media or the audio method, all require this adept nature to strongly create a safe environment for news channels.

Media is both effective and effective. In this regard, the nature of the internet can be considered. Even in the most difficult circumstances internet becomes the den of evil and fake news. It creates unnecessary commotion among innocent folks and is equally responsible for disrupting the peace and stability of the nation.

The capacity to create public opinion is used for dangerous purposes and the power of media is wasted for the benefit of evil people. It is thus the knowledge of the people to not accept all news blindly. Media is effective in spreading the news within the shortest period. However, careful utilization of this power is expected.

Hopefully, after going through this session, you have a  holistic idea about writing short essays on the topic ‘Power of Media.’ I have written these essays in very simple words for a better understanding of all kinds of students. Kindly comment down your doubts, if you still have any. 

Keep browsing our website to read more such short essays on various important topics. And don’t forget to join us on Telegram to get all the latest updates. Thank you. 

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Essay On POWER OF PRESS

THE ROLE OF NEWSPAPER IN THE MODERN AGE

Introduction

Newspaper is the world’s encyclopaedia of life. It tells everything from every quarter of the globe.

Significance of press

Press (or newspaper) occupies a very important place in our society. It plays a significant role in making the destiny of a nation. A newspaper in the present times makes us familiar with the upto-date current news of our nation. It also brings news of the world and the news of the masses to us. It tells us the general opinions of the public through Reader’s columns, articles and suggestions.

Power of press

Press enjoys great powers in the society. Press comments and criticises the laws and working of the government’s affairs. It also suggests important amendments.

Press educates the people’s minds on legal, educational, historical, economic, political and social topics. It makes democracy a true success by rightly directing the public.

Press is one of the important means of communication and a channel to the government with the people.

Government places its policies, laws and programmes only through press. Through press it seeks the reaction in democracy. Newspaper serves as a break or check on the swift speed of government’s working.

Again press is the best means of advertisement. The news papers help in the development of trade and commerce. People get jobs through Wants’ columns, Matrimonial columns pro vide opportunity to young boys and girls to get his or her life’s suitable partners.

Press is the best source of entertainment through sotries, tit-bits, dialogues and sports news.

A social reformer can be made aware of the evils of the society, and an economist can be acquainted with the various economic imbalances and the speculator can be made familiar with the value and sale of the share in the open market by the newspaper.

Misuse of Press, may however, create havoc even civil wars. Such misuse should be curbed with iron hands. The press should aim at the prosperity of the nation in every sphere from all stand points and quarters.

Thus we see that the newspaper or press serves the variety of dishes to the taste of all.

Encyclopaedia- विश्वकोष Globe – पृथ्वी Criticises- आलोचना करता है। Direct- मार्गदर्शन करना। Channel- मार्ग। Tit-bits- witty words, Aware- conscious, Acquaint- to introduce, to make known, Significant- important, Speculator- one who makes guesses, Havoc- unpleasant situation, Curb- to tread, कुचलना। With iron hands- in a stern manner, कठोरता के साथ। Comments- remarks, टिप्पणियां Directing- guiding, निर्देशन देना।

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Anjali Yadav

इस वेब साईट में हम College Subjective Notes सामग्री को रोचक रूप में प्रकट करने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं | हमारा लक्ष्य उन छात्रों को प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं की सभी किताबें उपलब्ध कराना है जो पैसे ना होने की वजह से इन पुस्तकों को खरीद नहीं पाते हैं और इस वजह से वे परीक्षा में असफल हो जाते हैं और अपने सपनों को पूरे नही कर पाते है, हम चाहते है कि वे सभी छात्र हमारे माध्यम से अपने सपनों को पूरा कर सकें। धन्यवाद..

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Essay on “Power of the Press” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Power of the Press

The press is a great power to be recokoned with. As such the newspapers play a vital role in our life. They have become a first interest in the morning for the majority of educated people all over the world. The educated people would prefer to miss their morning tea or breakfast to reading of a newspaper. The newspapers give them latest news from home and abroad. They bring the whole world at their doorsteps. A newspaper is the cheapest, the most popular and the easiest means of information and knowledge. A newspaper is virtually an encyclopedia of day-to-day information. That is why newspapers are so popular. We cannot think of our life without newspapers.

In recent times there has been great expansion of the press in India. There are over 4000 daily newspapers being published in Hindi, English and the regional languages. There are over 20,000 periodicals—weeklies, bi-weeklies, fortnight-lies, monthlies, etc. They form a vital link between the public and the government. On current problems and issues of national importance there are editorials, leading articles and comments. These educate the, public about them. They guide, mould and also reflect the public opinion. The readers publish their grievances, opinions and comments on sensitive and vital issues through the press. It helps the government and administration to know the mind and the mood of the public at large.

The newspapers educate people, bring about desired social changes and generate public awareness about many problems. They have helped in producing environmental consciousness among the people, in the removal of untouchability, casteism and communal narrowness. They create a favourable atmosphere for family planning, abolition of evils of dowry, child-marriage, etc. During national crisis they help increase in public morale and boost unity and integrity. They make the readers conscious both of their rights and duties and disseminate knowledge.

They are also a great source of entertainment, education, making matrimonial alliances, advertising and selling of commodities. There are many educative, informative and entertaining articles, poems, stories, etc., in their magazine sections. Besides their cultural and educative value, the newspapers boost economic development and business both in the public and private sectors. They help diversification of the interests of the readers through their various columns on sports, commerce, economics, education, literature, politics, editorial, etc. They widen their horizon of outlook and under-standing and thereby add a new meaning to life.

The significance of the press is becoming more and more vital. The freedom of the press in a democratic country like India is of great importance: The press is the watch dog of democracy and the free expression. Personal freedom is the essence of democracy and it is reflected in the freedom. The press enjoys in the country. Liberty of press is an essential” ingredient of democracy. The newspapers should be free to critcise, condemn and warn the administration when they feel so. It should be left to the press to expose the wrong-doings of the government. It was, the press who exposed Richard Nixon in the U.S. and Antulay in Maharashtra in India. Whenever there has been an attempt to ‘Curb the freedom of the press, there have been mass movements and upsurge. It is in our interest as well as in the interest of the party in power that the press is allowed to work unfettered and unbiased. Any repression imposed on the press goes against the very basic tenets of democracy. It is the press that exposes and checks dictatorial tendencies. We have seen how the press helped the overthrow of Mrs. Indira Gandhi after Emergency.

The responsibility of the press, as the watchdog of freedom, liberty and democracy, is equally great. The journalists should perform their duties sincerely and honestly without fear or favour. The press when controlled by narrow and vested interests can vitiate and poison public opinion. The press can defy or defame any person baselessly if it resorts to favouritism or unethical .practice. The press should never attempt to thrive on sensational, distorted and motivated reporting. Sometimes it has been observed that a few newspapers and periodicals publish, untruths, half-truths and exaggerated reports in order to assassinate the character and personality of a certain men or women in the public life. The reporters, journalists and correspondents should strictly ad-here to their code of conduct and never resort to biased writing and reporting.

The press should never misuse its powers. The press can be equally instrumental both for great public good and evil. It can promote communal harmony and brotherhood, but if con-trolled by fanatics and communalists, it can cause havoc, blood-shed and riots in the public. The journalism in India has come of age and so the press has been discharging its duties ‘ responsibly. There are some small and local newspapers who, often take recourse to obscene and sensational reporting to obtain better circulation-and readership. But by and large the press in India has been playing a constructive role, and it is hoped that in the years to come, it would further improve its image by protecting the rights and freedom of the masses and by dissemination of knowledge.

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This is a short essay from my side 🙂 The power of press in any country depends on the number of newspaper readers; and this in turn, depends on the spread of education. Where readers are few and will appeal directly to only a small minority of population. In a country like England or America where even the poorest working man can read, the reading public is the whole nation. The large number newspapers, and their great influence on public opinion. Now the great majority of newspaper readers is uncritical. Only a few think for themselves and from their own opinions. Most accept what they read without any question and take their opinion ready made for their favourite papers. Newspapers, therefore, mould public opinion. In democratic countries, whereby the system of election and representation of the people control the government, public opinion is the main power. No democratic government can long neglect or oppose a strong public opinion on any question. Sooner or later the government will have to yield to public opinion or be driven out of the office. It is, therefore, obvious that if press controls the government, the press is ultimately controlled by the public. It is the political power of the press which has a great influence. This great power may be used for good or evil. If the newspapers are serious, disinterested and clean, and give their readers a wise, courageous and great national questions, the power of press is a blessing. If the newspapers are frivolous, prejudiced and corrupt and ponder to the worst tastes of the people by filling their pages with scandal and sensationalism, their influence will be disastrous. The commercializing of the modern press is an evil. A newspaper is a business concern and is meant to sell. To get a large sale, it must give its readers what they want. And the more extreme and sensational and exciting it is, better it will sell. It, therefore, cannot afford to be lofty, serious and moderate: A country that has an independent and clean press is blessed one.

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An NPR editor who wrote a critical essay on the company has resigned after being suspended

FILE - The headquarters for National Public Radio (NPR) stands on North Capitol Street on April 15, 2013, in Washington. A National Public Radio editor who wrote an essay criticizing his employer for promoting liberal reviews resigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, a day after it was revealed that he had been suspended. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — A National Public Radio editor who wrote an essay criticizing his employer for promoting liberal views resigned on Wednesday, attacking NPR’s new CEO on the way out.

Uri Berliner, a senior editor on NPR’s business desk, posted his resignation letter on X, formerly Twitter, a day after it was revealed that he had been suspended for five days for violating company rules about outside work done without permission.

“I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems” written about in his essay, Berliner said in his resignation letter.

Katherine Maher, a former tech executive appointed in January as NPR’s chief executive, has been criticized by conservative activists for social media messages that disparaged former President Donald Trump. The messages predated her hiring at NPR.

NPR’s public relations chief said the organization does not comment on individual personnel matters.

The suspension and subsequent resignation highlight the delicate balance that many U.S. news organizations and their editorial employees face. On one hand, as journalists striving to produce unbiased news, they’re not supposed to comment on contentious public issues; on the other, many journalists consider it their duty to critique their own organizations’ approaches to journalism when needed.

In his essay , written for the online Free Press site, Berliner said NPR is dominated by liberals and no longer has an open-minded spirit. He traced the change to coverage of Trump’s presidency.

“There’s an unspoken consensus about the stories we should pursue and how they should be framed,” he wrote. “It’s frictionless — one story after another about instances of supposed racism, transphobia, signs of the climate apocalypse, Israel doing something bad and the dire threat of Republican policies. It’s almost like an assembly line.”

He said he’d brought up his concerns internally and no changes had been made, making him “a visible wrong-thinker at a place I love.”

In the essay’s wake, NPR top editorial executive, Edith Chapin, said leadership strongly disagreed with Berliner’s assessment of the outlet’s journalism and the way it went about its work.

It’s not clear what Berliner was referring to when he talked about disparagement by Maher. In a lengthy memo to staff members last week, she wrote: “Asking a question about whether we’re living up to our mission should always be fair game: after all, journalism is nothing if not hard questions. Questioning whether our people are serving their mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful and demeaning.”

Conservative activist Christopher Rufo revealed some of Maher’s past tweets after the essay was published. In one tweet, dated January 2018, Maher wrote that “Donald Trump is a racist.” A post just before the 2020 election pictured her in a Biden campaign hat.

In response, an NPR spokeswoman said Maher, years before she joined the radio network, was exercising her right to express herself. She is not involved in editorial decisions at NPR, the network said.

The issue is an example of what can happen when business executives, instead of journalists, are appointed to roles overseeing news organizations: they find themselves scrutinized for signs of bias in ways they hadn’t been before. Recently, NBC Universal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde has been criticized for service on paid corporate boards.

Maher is the former head of the Wikimedia Foundation. NPR’s own story about the 40-year-old executive’s appointment in January noted that she “has never worked directly in journalism or at a news organization.”

In his resignation letter, Berliner said that he did not support any efforts to strip NPR of public funding. “I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism,” he wrote.

David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder

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IMF Working Papers

Central banks casting a global financial safety net: what drives the supply of bilateral swaps.

Author/Editor:

Jakree Koosakul ; Alexei Miksjuk

Publication Date:

April 26, 2024

Electronic Access:

Free Download . Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

The expansion of bilateral swap arrangements (BSAs) since the Global Financial Crisis has led to a substantial reconfiguration of the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN). This paper examines the drivers of BSA supply using a novel dataset on all publicly documented BSAs. It finds that countries with well-developed financial markets and institutions and high trade openness are more likely to backstop other economies by establishing BSAs. In addition, their choice of BSA counterparts is driven by strong investment and trade exposures to these countries, with variation in the relative importance of these factors across major BSA providers. The paper shows that geopolitical considerations often affect such decisions, as BSAs are less likely to be established between geopolitically distant countries and more likely between countries in the same regional economic bloc.

Working Paper No. 2024/088

9798400273759/1018-5941

WPIEA2024088

Please address any questions about this title to [email protected]

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Guest Essay

The Fantasy of Reviving Nuclear Energy

By Stephanie Cooke

Ms. Cooke is a former editor of Nuclear Intelligence Weekly and the author of “In Mortal Hands: A Cautionary History of the Nuclear Age.”

World leaders are not unaware of the nuclear industry’s long history of failing to deliver on its promises or of its weakening vital signs. Yet many continue to act as if a nuclear renaissance could be around the corner, even though nuclear energy’s share of global electricity generation has fallen by almost half from its high of roughly 17 percent in 1996.

In search of that revival, representatives from more than 30 countries gathered in Brussels in March at a nuclear summit hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Belgian government. Thirty-four nations, including the United States and China, agreed “to work to fully unlock the potential of nuclear energy,” including extending the lifetimes of existing reactors, building nuclear power plants and deploying advanced reactors.

Yet even as they did so, there was an acknowledgment of the difficulty of their undertaking. “Nuclear technology can play an important role in the clean energy transition,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, told summit attendees. But she added that “the reality today, in most markets, is a reality of a slow but steady decline in market share” for nuclear power.

The numbers underscore that downturn. Solar and wind power together began outperforming nuclear power globally in 2021, and that trend continues as nuclear staggers along. Solar alone added more than 400 gigawatts of capacity worldwide last year, two-thirds more than the previous year. That’s more than the roughly 375 gigawatts of combined capacity of the world’s 415 nuclear reactors, which remained relatively unchanged last year. At the same time, investment in energy storage technology is rapidly accelerating. In 2023, BloombergNEF reported that investors for the first time put more money into stationary energy storage than they did into nuclear.

Still, the drumbeat for nuclear power has become pronounced. At the United Nations climate conference in Dubai in December, the Biden administration persuaded two dozen countries to pledge to triple their nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Those countries included allies of the United States with troubled nuclear programs, most notably France , Britain , Japan and South Korea , whose nuclear bureaucracies will be propped up by the declaration as well as the domestic nuclear industries they are trying to save.

“We are not making the argument to anybody that this is absolutely going to be a sweeping alternative to every other energy source,” John Kerry, the Biden administration climate envoy at the time, said. “But we know because the science and the reality of facts and evidence tell us that you can’t get to net zero 2050 without some nuclear.”

That view has gained traction with energy planners in Eastern Europe who see nuclear as a means of replacing coal, and several countries — including Canada, Sweden, Britain and France — are pushing to extend the operating lifetimes of existing nuclear plants or build additional ones. Some see smaller or more advanced reactors as a means of providing electricity in remote areas or as a means of decarbonizing sectors such as heat, industry and transportation.

So far, most of this remains in early stages, with only three nuclear reactors under construction in Western Europe, two in Britain and one in France, each more than a decade behind schedule. Of the approximately 54 other reactors under construction worldwide as of March, 23 are in China, seven are in India, and three are in Russia, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The total is less than a quarter of the 234 reactors under construction in the peak year of 1979, although 48 of those were later suspended or abandoned.

Even if you agree with Mr. Kerry’s argument, and many energy experts do not, pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 is a little like promising to win the lottery. For the United States, it would mean adding 200 gigawatts of nuclear operating capacity (almost double what the country has ever built) to the current 100 gigawatts or so, generated by more than 90 commercial reactors that have been running an average of 42 years. Globally it would mean tripling the existing capacity built over the past 70 years in less than half that time, in addition to replacing reactors that will shut down before 2050.

The Energy Department estimates the total cost of such an effort in the United States at roughly $700 billion. But David Schlissel , a director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis , has calculated that the two new reactors at the Vogtle plant in Georgia — the only new reactors built in the United States in a generation — on average, cost $21.2 billion per gigawatt in today’s dollars. Using that figure as a yardstick, the cost of building 200 gigawatts of new capacity would be far higher: at least $4 trillion, or $6 trillion if you count the additional cost of replacing existing reactors as they age out.

For much less money and in less time, the world could reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewables like solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal power and by transmitting, storing and using electricity more efficiently. A recent analysis by the German Environment Agency examined multiple global climate scenarios in which Paris climate agreement targets are met, and it found that renewable energy “is the crucial and primary driver.”

The logic of this approach was attested to at the climate meeting in Dubai, where more than 120 countries signed a more realistic commitment to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

There’s a certain inevitability about the U.S. Energy Department’s latest push for more nuclear energy. An agency predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, brought us Atoms for Peace under President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s in a bid to develop the peaceful side of the atom, hoping it would gain public acceptance of an expanding arsenal of nuclear weapons while supplying electricity too cheap to meter.

Fast-forward 70 years, and you hear a variation on the same theme. Most notably, Ernest Moniz, the energy secretary under President Barack Obama, argues that a vibrant commercial nuclear sector is necessary to sustain U.S. influence in nuclear weapons nonproliferation efforts and global strategic stability. As a policy driver, this argument might explain in part why the government continues to push nuclear power as a climate solution, despite its enormous cost and lengthy delivery time.

China and Russia are conspicuously absent from the list of signatories to the Dubai pledge to triple nuclear power, although China signed the declaration in Brussels. China’s nuclear program is growing faster than that of any other country, and Russia dominates the global export market for reactors with projects in countries new to commercial nuclear energy, such as Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh, as well as Iran.

Pledges and declarations on a global stage allow world leaders a platform to be seen to be doing something to address climate change, even if, as is the case with nuclear, they lack the financing and infrastructure to succeed. But their support most likely means that substantial sums of money — much of it from taxpayers and ratepayers — will be wasted on perpetuating the fantasy that nuclear energy will make a difference in a meaningful time frame to slow global warming.

The U.S. government is already poised to spend billions of dollars building small modular and advanced reactors and keeping aging large ones running. But two such small reactor projects based on conventional technologies have already failed. Which raises the question: Will future projects based on far more complex technologies be more viable? Money for such projects — provided mainly under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — could be redirected in ways that do more for the climate and do it faster, particularly if planned new nuclear projects fail to materialize.

There is already enough potential generation capacity in the United States seeking access to the grid to come close to achieving President Biden’s 2035 goal of a zero-carbon electricity sector, and 95 percent of it is solar, battery storage and wind. But these projects face a hugely constrained transmission system, regulatory and financial roadblocks and entrenched utility interests, enough to prevent many of them from ever providing electricity, according to a report released last year by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Even so, existing transmission capacity can be doubled by retrofitting transmission lines with advanced conductors, which would offer at least a partial way out of the gridlock for renewables, in addition to storage, localized distribution and improved management of supply and demand.

What’s missing are leaders willing to buck their own powerful nuclear bureaucracies and choose paths that are far cheaper, less dangerous and quicker to deploy. Without them, we are doomed to more promises and wasteful spending by nuclear proponents who have repeatedly shown that they can talk but can’t deliver.

Stephanie Cooke is a former editor of Nuclear Intelligence Weekly and the author of “In Mortal Hands: A Cautionary History of the Nuclear Age.”

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