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Journalists and the government: Necessary adversaries?

Recently, the secretary of the Israel Press Council Avi Weinberg spoke out against threats from Israeli officials to boycott the Arab news network al-Jazeera, arguing governments should not limit journalists “even if their reports are not to the liking of some cabinet members.” Journalism is, by its very nature, “an opposition to the government,” Weinberg says.

Do you think the role of journalism in a democratic regime is to be critical and biting in its attitude towards the government? Or should media strive to coexist peacefully with government and those in power?

IJNet would like to hear your opinion. We invite you to answer these questions or add some of your own. Join the discussion by clicking on "Add a Comment" below. Please identify your country if possible. Thanks for your participation.

شات مصرية - دردشة مصرية - شات

شات مصرية - دردشة مصرية - شات مصري

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Every government will want to

Every government will want to have control over the media and so be able to set the agenda for the people.

In my view, the

In my view, the role of the journalist is not about being unnecessarily critical of the government and those in power, it is about constructively engaging the government on key issues in the public interest.

Issues when raised or investigated would produce findings or results that would help promote good governance and accountability.

Additionally, being a journalists doesn't make you an enemy of the government or those in power. As a journalists, you are a partner of the government in improving society and making the world a stable and peaceful place.

journalists sho

journalists should not be adversaries with governemnts. Thetwo institutions hsould co-esistbecause living as adversaries journalists would fail intheir endevours fight certain tendeences such as corruption and bad governance.

The fact is that some people in governement are good source of information and have continued to assist journalists to achieve their objectives. once j these members lose trusts in journalists, then itmay be difficult to release usefull information. In Uganda for instance despite afree press, we still have difficulties in getting information to pin corrupt ministers and other local leaders. but with the helpp of insiders in governement we have tried to expose some when we get information from inside sources. we also need to change our approach to writting on serious issues such as corruption. have enough facts from crediable sources so that when challanged we are armed with facts and we can deffend our institutions.

Being the fourt

Being the fourth pillar of democracy media should play a key role in order to keep the government favourable for all. It should laud and bash the government, if necessary, but it should never work for the opposition or some other entity with vested interest.

In India the media is mostly unbiased. It works either for the political party in power or for the opposition, while the voice of common men remains unheard. The responsibility of the media increases by many folds especially when the country economically moves ahead to be a world super power. Issues like dearth of power, roads, railway tracks are disrupting the progress. Even after sixty years of Independence still the corrupt healthcare system coupled with age old legal system takes away life of the poor.

The media should highlight these serious issues for common people instead of being inclined to politicians of any side.

It is not in do

It is not in doubt that the press the world over has been recognised as the fourth estate of the realm. And what that means is that like the legislature and the judiciary, it exists to act aas a check and balances on other arms of government. it is there to call any of the arms of government be it the executive, judiciary and executive to order when any of them is derailing why also not failing to appreciate any of them that has done well. So the press can bark when necessary and also applaud if need be.

THE MEDIA SHOUL

THE MEDIA SHOULD ENDEAVOR TO PLAY HER ROLE, WHICH IS SERVING AS A WATCHDOG. A WATCHDOG BARKS WHEN THERE ARE INTRUDERS. SO ALSO, THE MEDIA SHOULD SPEAK UP, WHEN DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ARE TRAMPLED UPON. DID THEY NOT SAY THAT THE MEDIA IS THE FOURTH ESTATE OF THE REALM?

TOCHUKWU DARLINGTON, NIGERIA

In fostering de

In fostering democracy,journalists need to be critical but not biting as the term may denote.Critical in a sense that this will show that journalists are aware of their responsibilities in being of service to the people and making sure that pressure is exerted on authority for the right thing to be done.Sometimes being too close to government may cause journalists to stumble and forfeit their jobs and begin patronising at the detriment of the people.Opposition does not necessarily mean chaos as usually seen in developing countries.

I Believe the M

I Believe the Media should co-exist with Goverment because the two need each other to work properly. On the other hand press freedom does not mean freedom from resposibility. We journalists need to exercise alot of responsiblity while reporting on issues that involve goverment. We put pressure on goverments in order for them to perfom better. Its wrong for journalists to act as oppostion politicians because our role is to serve the voiceless and all people.

Government and

Government and media are partners in progress, but it is said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If journalists do just their basic work: informing, educating and entertaining the public, it will necessarily clash with a dictatorial or corrupt government which will definitely be full of itself and would not want the truth to be told.

Every government will want to have control over the media and so be able to set the agenda for the people. Now the media is the agenda setter, it holds government responsible to the people and so revelations that the media make that do not go down well with government are often frowned at and pit the government against the media.

Unless the media in any country, even the best democracies, is not doing its work well, it will definitely conflict with government at a point.

Again, in another sense, the media as a component of the civil society is in opposition.

The media will definitely therefore be an adversary of government by nature of its work.

If Israel has n

If Israel has nothing to hide concerning its human rights record and political situation they should let the media operate freely. boycotting Al Jazeera will not change any attitudes held by those who think Tel Aviv has a case to answer regarding its treatment of Palestinians etc. Hopefully the threat to boycott Al Jazeera is not also motivated by spite over the glare in the Arab channel of some issues she has been spared by CNN and other allied world media. Certainly even Israelis require pluralism in news sources. Tel Aviv can best serve its interests by ensuring its side of the story is also aired. But what exactly does the threat to boycott Al Jazeera mean? Israel will be breaking its own laws and subverting democracy if she barred its citizens from watching Al Jazeera or if its authorities barred the channels journalists from entering Israel itself and the Occupied Territories.

Journalists and

Journalists and the government are two sides of the same moral coin of governance. They have the first and foremost responsibility of protecting fundamental freedoms enshrined in the constitution of each country. They are the eye and ears of the people. However having said that, it would seem unchecked government powers have had a tendency of blocking out the eyes of their twin – the press. Governments some without justification, dismiss, close down and persecute the press as enemies of the state. I believe that without a righteous press, there cannot be a righteous government to talk about. Why is that rogue regimes in Africa and elsewhere in the world are often the major culprits when it comes to press violations and not to talk about human rights violations and the opposite holds true. A truly independent and ethical press supports good governance. A government of the people by the people promotes a watchdog press because it is also in its interests to ensure that it fulfills the mandate of the people and there is a press to reflect that. I am convinced this cat and mouse relationship should not be the norm between governments and the press. Adversity is the not the solution but the problem.

Busani Bafana, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

I live in Lesot

I live in Lesotho in Southern Africa. I don't think that the relationship between government and journalism should neccessarily be adversorial. I believe there are reasons why this relationship has evolved thus. Journalists stand on the side of the people who are governed while members of cabinet stand on the side of those who govern. If cabinet does its job well then cabinet has nothing to be afraid of from journalists. Good journalists do not invent stories, they do not write fiction they sting in order to bring attention to what is wrong. If the matter is rectified, journalists are only too happy to report. There are however those reports that sensationalize in order to stir trouble because they are fuelled by the political opposition. Such creative journalism is not necessarily the professional.

The government

The government and the governed are two sides of the fence. The government usually uses the power the governed (the people) have given it against them. If the press must play its watchdog role, it should always be on the side of the governed. Journalists who are rather on the side of government are sycophants working ego-massaging for their selfish (stomach) interests.

It is the duty

It is the duty of journalists to report the truth, without commentary or prejudice, to inform the public and allow individuals to draw their own conclusions. Advocating for or against an issue puts a journalist in the position of a publicist. Digging out and reporting all sides of the truth is a taxing job and confers high responsiblility on anyone who claims to be a journalist..

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