Media -Public Policy Interface

1.1 INTRODUCTION
“Democracy provides opportunity for effective participation, equality in voting, gaining enlightened understanding, exercising final control (by the people)over the agenda and the inclusion of adults”. The political institutions that are necessary to pursue these goals according to Dahl are: “1)elected officials, 2)free, fair and frequent elections, 3)freedom of expression, 4)alternative source of information,5)associational autonomy, and 6)inclusive citizenship”.(Dahl ,1998, Yale, university press.)
              Democracy is a form of government where people’s power reign supreme. Democracy and good governance go together. Governance implies exercise of power and decision making for a group of people. A good government tries to promote common good through governance by functioning effectively and efficiently, being accountable to the people.
In a democracy, Good Governance is possible both in theory and practice only if the citizens participate in the decision making process (because it is they who make or mar the government).   Access to relevant information becomes a prerequisite for effective participation. And this important task is performed by the mass media.
In a democracy freedom of expression is one of the important freedoms which every citizen enjoys.     It is the media which helps people to enjoy this particular freedom completely, in other words it provides avenues of expression. People articulate their demands, express their grievances, participate in the political process and seek recognition by making use of this freedom through media.
Media occupies an important place in the process of good governance .It plays a vital role as a gatekeeper by disseminating critical information to the public .It works for the common good by encouraging the people to participate in the decision making process . It influences the decisions of the legislators and public administrators and evaluates policies and actions of the government.
The...