Newspapers are the link between people and their government. They’re the ‘voice’ of the general public and the custodians of truth.
Even though the fall of newspapers has long been predicted due to the rise in technology, they still continue to survive globally despite competition from radio, television and the internet. This is because newspapers serve core social functions in different cultures.
Metaphorically speaking, newspapers are the mirrors of the world. Their presence is a must on breakfast tables (unless you’re a techie who prefers to read news online). In this article, we’ll explore how newspapers play an important role in our society.
Why is newspaper important?
Every morning when you wake up, you need something to look forward to, something to kickstart your day. For most people, a newspaper does that job. Reading a newspaper ensures that a person leaves their house after being fully aware about the things happening in their surroundings and of course, the other side of the world. This includes being socially, politically, scientifically and economically aware.
Let’s take an example to understand the importance of a newspaper. Imagine skipping a newspaper for a day and you realize there is a riot near your workplace while you’re on your way there? Seeing how a riot usually ends up, you would’ve decided to take the day off if you had read about it in the newspaper.
A newspaper seldom contains news which isn’t true. Newspapers are written by highly experienced professional journalists, reporters and writers/editors. In India, printing and publications of newspapers are monitored by Registrar of Newspaper for India (RNI) according to the provisions of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 and the Registration of Newspapers (Central) Rules, 1956. Also, the Press Council of India keeps an eye on press media in the country. Therefore, you do not need to doubt the authenticity of content in the newspapers.
Role of Newspaper in our Society
Newspapers provide us with crucial information about society and the world. They make us aware and increase our knowledge about current affairs (this is extremely important for those preparing for government competitive exams). Moreover, newspapers help us to become informed citizens.
Most of us participated in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. If you voted for a party, you must’ve voted for them for certain reasons, perhaps because of the changes they have brought to the society or Indian economy. How did you learn about these changes? Most likely through newspapers or the internet. The internet doesn’t always tell the truth, it has some controversial websites. However, a newspaper will generally tell you the truth.
It makes sense, though. Why would a newspaper publish a lie? The publisher would be scared of getting sued. But when it comes to the internet, someone can just delete their account if they post something controversial and offensive and disappear in a few minutes. Or just use a fake account from the beginning. Therefore, technology can’t always be trusted. Sometimes, being old school for certain things isn’t bad.
Apart from discussing politics and economy, newspapers also discuss sports and entertainment. They also contain opinion-based articles on important issues that many people can relate to. Such articles allow people to review the government and ministers well.
Many people go through newspapers to check the employment opportunities in the country. Most of these employment opportunities are genuine. A scammer wouldn’t post a job opportunity in a newspaper. If he does, he would create evidence against himself. But on job websites, scams are extremely common and people never get to know about the true identity of scammers. So the point here is that newspapers are something you can actually rely on, and when you can rely on something, it is important to you.
Conclusion
The newspaper carries a lot of significance for the social beings that make up the society. Reading the newspaper every day should be something everyone must look forward to because it is extremely important to be politically, socially and economically aware of one’s surroundings and the rest of the world. In addition to all that’s been mentioned in this article, newspapers also sharpen people’s brains because of the mind-brain exercise games like sudoku and puzzles. For the oldies who aren’t good at technology, newspapers are a boon.