image source often taken for granted in the developed world, freedom of the press is one of the most fundamental elements of a just and equitable society. critical and engaging exchanges are important prerequisites for any functioning democracy. the recent explosion of information communication technologies (icts) in the past decade alone has revolutionized ways in which news is transmitted to every corner of the world at the click of a mouse. of major concern to the public and various watchdog organizations is whether the media reports objectively on issues and impartially conveys facts to the people; or whether the media almost creates issues through graphic images, commercial interests, and dramatization. while the general media have a duty toward journalistic integrity, they most often have privileged access to people and places, allowing them a fair degree of independence when reporting news. an equally important topic of discussion, and one many media watchdog groups have been quick to point out, is how many media outlets are often times controlled by a single individual or organization, thereby limiting other opinions from entering the public forum. while this is cause for concern, most often there are alternative sources that a determined individual can seek out. concerns around freedom of the press in many developing countries are of a different nature, however. proponents of free expression are alarmed by state-sanctioned efforts at censorship across all channels of communication and media. access to offensive newspapers is cut off, television channels are cancelled, critical commentators and independent journalists are jailed or tortured, and internet sites are often filtered or blocked altogether. still, in other countries, governments have built relationships with the media where in exchange for biased-reporting and coverage of the status-quo, media barons are lavishly rewarded. it is in this climate that brave journalists must report news as they see it, often risking their own lives in the process.
