Newspapers, medium between govt and people

THE EDITOR: The Newsday, the People’s paper, must be congratulated on its 11th anniversary. Why is the Newsday the People’s Paper? It is the Newsday that has made it affordable for all to read both in our country and aborad. The Newsday has kept its price for $1 when others  were at $1.50 and almost $2! Still, the Newsday is reasonable to purchase on weekends. Once a great Englishman was asked to point out the most striking feature of modern civilisation. His reply was: “Neither the machine gun nor the aeroplane but the daily newspaper.”

A Frenchman speaking of the great influence of the press said that it was the Fourth Estate in the realm. His meaning was that the editor of a paper wielded the same power in a country as the King, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. A newspaper is a summary of current history. The events that happen daily in different parts of the world are recorded in a newspaper. A newspaper is much more than this. It is also a most effective medium of the expression of public opinion and here is where the didactic Newsday has excelled greatly. The modern newspaper contains varied items of interest. Every phase of life and every field of activity is commented on in the Newsday. The lawyer, the politician, the scholar, the businessman — all find something to interest them in a newspaper, especially the Newsday.

The government of any country can easily find out the opinion of the public on any particular matter from the columns of a newspaper. Thus, it is the best means of communication between the government and the people. The newspaper is a great educative agency. It gives us at first hand, opinions of great thinkers and results of their observation. It widens the field of our interests and creates new fields of activity. It also supplies us with news and information which it would be impossible for us to obtain otherwise. The newspaper is the very soul of modern business organisation. Without it trade cannot be carried on a wide scale. Advertisements are the very life of modern trade. Only the newspaper can give the widest and most effective publicity to any article for sale or to a commercial scheme.

We must not forget, however, to note that the newspaper, like everything else, has its evil side.  In the hands of unscrupulous and dishonest editors it can be easily made a most effective power for evil. The minds of its readers can be easily poisoned. Social and political revolutions can be brought about by a newspaper. So it is most essential to have an effective check on the abuse of such a power. The social and political progress of our country has been chiefly due to the work of newspapers and electronic media. In conclusion “Happy Anniversary” and “may the Newsday reign forever”!

AHAMAD KHAYYAM
Curepe