Department of secondary education Institut Polytechnique La

Grace de Dieu

08/03/2017 EXPOSE: The

power of press

BOURAIMA

SALIFOU

DJIGBE

KAMBOURE

Teacher: Mr. SOGBA T.T.Tim

EXPOSE: The power of the press

THE POWER OF THE PRESS

The press is an important means of communication, and its function is taken very
seriously. Many universities provide courses in journalism, and the journalist is usually
a graduate with special training in the duties of the newspaperman to inform the public,
to facts, to softer honest guidance.

Many European popular papers arouse disapproval across the Atlantic. All the
same, American newspapers tend to be rather dull. Their total daily sales, in
relation to the population, are higher than most of Western Europe, but lower
than Britain. Because the country is so large, no single newspapers can
complete on a nation-wide basis against local products; in many states it is very
difficult to buy any newspaper from outside that state.

The press in American is particularly important because, more than any other country,
it is recognized as heaving a responsible role to perform in relation to one aspect of the
press of government. The press conference is an American invention, and it began to
be important in the form of meeting between President and journalists in which the
President replied to question. Press conference take place all over the world now, but
the presidential press conference is an institution which gives us a key to the special
role America assigns to the press and to the newspapermen. The British parliament
has its question time when each day members of parliament address question to
ministers in charge of executive departments and some European parliaments have
something of the same kind. There is no possibility of such a device in the United States
Congress because heads of executive departments are not members of it. Thus the
executive has no political platform through which to expound its view and give
information.

President Franklin Roosevelt showed the advantages of using the Press for such
purposes when he called regular meetings of newspapermen at which he invited,
question and gave information. This device is still regularly used, and although the
press has formally recognized role, one cannot give a broad picture of the American
governmental process without mentioning the part that the press has to play in its
contacts with the president.

A newspaperman attending the president press conference is there not Justas

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employee of the newspaper for which he works, but as a representative of the American
public entrusted with the task of conveying information; his role in doing this has a real

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EXPOSE: The power of the press
significance in the democratic political process. The same could be said of press
conferences involving heads of departments or visiting foreign statesmen or people in
the news. The American scene would be unimaginable without these occasions. The
press conference has become an institution and an indispensable element in the whole
system of public communication.

The American newspapermans public responsibility goes beyond the reporting of

political facts, beyond even comment on the facts. His role becomes heroic.

When he discovers crimes about which the police knew nothing and more still when he
produces evidence of corruption or misbehaver of police officials. However democratic
the electoral process there have been many local officials who have made themselves
rich by scandalous means, and a journalist who finds out the discreditable truth,
relentlessly pressing his inquiries and courageously publishing the results in the face
of wicked menaces, like David confronting Goliath, expresses one of the highest ideals
that the press sets before itself. Things do not always happen this way, but they
sometimes do. And the press as a whole deserves some credit for the marvelous
openness of public life, which is one of the special features of American democracy.
Many things which in other countries are hidden away are quickly made known in
America. That this is so party due to the dedication of the press to its task, together
with the prestige that it has earned as a protector of the public interest.

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EXPOSE: The power of the press

I-WHAT IS A PRESS

The press is the news media. It gives a new of all the country and the world. Members
of the press work to gather facts and then present those facts to the public

II-ROLE OF THE PRESS IN A COUNTRY

Press is more than a media of information. The news may be colored with views and
the comments upon the news generally would challenge our options. That is why press
plays an important role in democratic country. It can make or break the governments.
It can calm down the people or play up their passions, it can help the party in power to
strengthen its Position or make the opposition to get the upper hand. Press not only
leaves its impact on political life but also affects our social and economic life. It can
help in tracing out the criminals. It can give expression to the grievance of the people
and it can help the people to attain heir ends.

In a democratic society the main task of the pool is to watch the democratic character
of the political organization. There are many dangers to the democratic set up. The
people in power try to encroach upon the rights of the common man. The people may
not be able to enjoy their rights because of the interference of some. The press puts a
check upon these types of tendencies by pin pointing the lapses of the party in power.
The press can change the opinions of the people and the party becomes unpopular.

The press can cultivate political outlook of the people and can help them in
consolidating public opinion. Till the people are politically conscious and the people
know their own rights and duties, the working of democracy will be chaste. Press can
often play negative roles. It may start instigating people against one or the other leader
or against the party in power. Under such circumstance the security of the country may
be in danger. In such cases people shall not allow the press to have its own way. There
should be a more code for the press to follow.
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EXPOSE: The power of the press

III-OTHER MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION AND THEIR ROLES

INTERNET: ITs use to search, to communicate, to learn, to connect, entertainer the

business relationships.
It emerges and develops out of interaction between interdependent industrial actors

TELEVISION: Television is a source of Education, to demonstrate processes or

physical skills; to show movement; for those lacking reading skills; to make distance
learning more personalized; to make teaching and learning more attractive and
dynamic; it is primarily a one-way communication medium; both production and
transmission of programmers are costly; the production process is very lengthy

RADIO: Radio is an electronic medium of audio communication. Its use, to transmit an

information, scout music etc

NEWSPAPER: Newspaper is a set of large sheets containing printed news, stories,

information, articles, advertisements, etc. It plays a great role in keeping us up-to-date
about all over the world.

MAGAZINES: publish the books, the news, a foot, a documentary, an actuality, etc

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