Freedom to expose wrongdoing
Democracy is a system of government where leaders are held accountable to the people. A democratic government is formed of representatives elected by the people who should represent their interests. A free media and freedom of information should help the
the process a success, public access to accurate, fair and unbiased information is vital.
Essential for freedom of expression are fundamental human rights that allow a free media, the political desire to protect media freedom, laws that guarantee the public's access to information and an informed readership or audience.
The media plays an important role as a monitor for the public interest by connecting civil organisations with the authorities and passing information throughout society.
The media should monitor and criticise the government's work. In a democracy, newspapers need to be able to freely publish accurate stories. They should have the right to criticise governmental wrongdoing. In a democratic system, the rights of an individual citizen should not be ignored. In a dictatorship, the state controls the citizens through laws, the police, spies and the military.
Access to information is the blood feeding the media and the Daily Eleven says a law that guarantees the freedom of information is vital to the disclosure of details that are vital to the public.
