Kamal Ghorui
While many Americans were watching the Oscars, their president, Donald Trump, was angrily posting messages online saying “FIRED.” But he wasn’t firing someone directly. Instead, he was attacking TV channels and newspapers that were reporting critically about him. He even said some journalists should be charged with treason, which in the U.S. is a very serious crime.
Why was he upset? Because even though he had won an election, the media was still asking tough questions and reporting on his decisions independently. Trump seemed to suggest that criticizing him meant being disloyal to the country. But in a democracy, that’s not how things are supposed to work.
In fact, the United States has an important rule called the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press. This rule exists so that journalists can question people in power and keep them accountable to the public.
This is especially important during war. Wars involve life-and-death choices made by governments, but those decisions affect ordinary people. Citizens need honest information so they can understand what their government is doing in their name.
Sometimes governments try to control information during wars. For example, in Israel there is strong public support for the war with Iran, but strict rules also limit filming or reporting on where Iranian missiles hit. Governments often worry that bad news could weaken morale.
Today’s wars are also information wars. Social media and technology mean that news, videos, and rumours spread very fast. Governments try to shape the story, and so do their enemies.
In India, television news often turns war coverage into dramatic spectacle, with loud debates and bold claims. But India also has many different newspapers, journalists, and viewpoints. That variety matters, because different reporters can check each other’s facts and correct mistakes.
Journalists can make errors, especially during the confusion of war. But leaders can also make mistakes or say things that later turn out to be wrong. That is why independent reporting is so important.
History shows this clearly. During the Iraq War, some media outlets trusted government claims too quickly. Later, many of those claims were shown to be false. When journalists don’t question power enough, the public can end up misled.
So a free press is most important exactly when governments might prefer not to admit uncomfortable truths. In a democracy, good journalism helps citizens know what is really happening — especially during war.
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