Views on freedom of press and whether reporting sensitive topics, have a negative impact.

Views on freedom of press and whether reporting sensitive topics, have a negative impact.

Thesis Statement

“Reporting sensitive topics have negative impact on journalists' life and work environments”.

Introduction

World is becoming a global village. All the continents are connected to each other with lighting fast speeds of communication technology. The nature of journalism and the press is also getting changed with it. Technology such as, Mobile devices have made it possible to upload and download multimedia content with least restrictions in the history. Many videos are uploaded on the social websites, where journalist cannot even get access. However, these amateur videos cannot cover the story like a professional journalist can. There are still regions where journalists are still not welcomed, and in other places, they get right to publish what is already published, in state owned media.

The phrase freedom of Media and Freedom of Press, and freedom of Communication refer to the same thing. The freedom in this context means absence of any interference from an overreaching state. The freedom of expression can be claimed from several platforms, including international human rights, national legislation, and state laws (Andrew, 2005). The freedom of communication pertains to both forms of media, print, and electronic.

While it is said that, press should be allowed to cover everything, much of the information is categorized as classified by the state. The difficulty is this that, if the state labels any information as classified, then, press will have to oblige to it. Sometimes, the issues are truly of that nature that, they cannot be revealed to the general public, but sometimes governments on political reasons abuse his state power. Facts are obscured and kept hidden from the pubic in the name of national interest, while the information is merely of self-interest too few in the top notch. This is specially the case in the international press, covering Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The government officials enjoy the luxuries while their voters live below the poverty line.

In U.S.A the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers".

This statement is being protected by a number of legislation, which provide it strength in the practical sense. The philosophy ensures substantial freedom in scientific research, Press, Publishing, and Printing. The freedom of speech is protected by the same law as the freedom of Press.

While it is fortunately the situation in U.S.A. that, press has substantial freedom, many countries are even forbidden for the journalist. These places include Myanmar (Burma), Ogaden (Ethiopia), Jammu & Kashmir (India), Agadez (Niger), Chechnya (Russia).

The legal definition of freedom is considered in the courtrooms, while there are varying definitions by private organizations, working for the freedom of the press. One such organization Reporters without Borders takes into account the journalist expelled, harassed, and the existence ...