Freedom of the press and democracy

Abstract

This paper is devoted to elucidating the interdependence between freedom of the press and democracy. The author emphasizes that just as modern democracy is impossible without a free press, so freedom of the press is a phantom phenomenon in autocratic regimes, and draws attention to two aspects of this problem: the role of the media in ensuring transparency of political elections and government control. He criticizes the understanding of press freedom as an absolute phenomenon and emphasizes that the institution of the press even in today's most democratic societies experiences various external (from governments and oligarchy) and internal (from media owners and editors) pressures that affect its activities. However, the multiparty system in a democracy requires the publication in the press of different positions and views, as different publications give their sympathy to different political forces, both ruling and opposition. Political pluralism gives birth to the phenomenon of objectivity of the information field. Publication of different positions, different points of view on current social issues, allows consumers of media information to compare them and draw their own conclusions on this basis.
 While arguing that freedom of the press is a relative concept, the author notes that in a democracy it may be restricted in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public order in order to prevent riots or crimes, to protect public health, to protect reputation or the rights of others, to prevent the disclosure of information obtained in confidence, or to maintain the authority and impartiality of justice. However, this restriction must meet three conditions: it must be strictly in accordance with the law, have just and legitimate goals, and be necessary and adequate to achieve such goals.