The role of the media in a democracy

The media is said to be the fourth estate in a democracy. This means that the media has a very crucial role to play in a democratic state. The media informs, educates and entertains. Thousands of people depend on media reports to get information about the goings-on in the country. The media serves, therefore, as a link between the governors and the governed. Equally, the media holds the governors to account for, and on behalf of, the citizens in the country. It is therefore an important pillar of the governance process. In this age of fake news, false and half-truths, the media must be extremely cautious in the way and manner news is reported. At a time when we are heading towards elections and many people can be – and actually are – over enthusiastic about their parties or candidates, reporting the wrong thing, or reporting something wrongly, can ruffle many feathers. It must be remembered that the media has a responsibility to be balanced in its reports in order to keep and maintain justice, and by extension, peace. Every now and then, we observe some misquoting – or claims of misquoting – in one newspaper or the other. This can have some serious repercussions as many people are quick to believe and act on whatever they read on a newspaper. Given the situation in the country – the work of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission, the Constitutional Review]]>