Supreme Court Cancels MediaOne Channel Ban
Recently, the Supreme Court has ordered the lifting of the broadcast ban on a news channel Media One.
- It may be noted that some time ago the Central Government had imposed broadcasting restrictions on a Malayalam news channel Mediavan. The Supreme Court in Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd. v. Union of India and others, 2022 ordered the removal of this restriction.
- In this way, the court has emphasized on the freedom of the press.
Key points of the Supreme Court’s verdict –
- The state cannot deprive citizens of their rights on the pretext of ‘national security’ without concrete facts.
- Non-disclosure of reasons for denial of security clearance and submission of relevant facts only before the Court in a sealed cover is against the rights of the appellant.
- The channel’s critical views against the policies of the government cannot be termed as anti-government.
- Non-renewal of permission to operate a media channel is a restriction on the freedom of the press.
- This freedom can be restricted only on reasonable grounds mentioned in Article 19(2) of the Constitution.
Role of media in democracy
- Media is the fourth pillar of democracy. The other three pillars are the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary.
- It acts as a bridge between the public and the government.
- It exposes the flaws in a democratic society. This helps the government in making the administration more accountable, responsive and democratic.
- The media can be used as a base for human rights advocacy and public opinion formation.
Challenges –
- Paid news and fake news can influence public perception.
- In the absence of objective journalism, false presentation of truth takes place in the society.
- With the development of media, the privacy of people has also decreased.
- There is a lack of diversity and cultural inclusion in the media.
- Due process of law is not followed in the dia trial.
Source – The Hindu
