ROLES OF THE NEWSPAPER

Newspapers due to their nature of work and business motive mislead the readers in different ways. Their working conditions demand newspaper combines. The production and distribution of newspapers need heavy expenditure and huge organization. Similarly, acute competition eliminates small newspapers. Thus, it becomes a huge organization with profit motive. Firstly, it tries to become financially sound by increasing readership and attractive advertisements. As such they tempt the readers to believe the statement to be true. They repeat the news through the different papers and the readers by reading in different papers, believe them.

Another method to misguide the readers is through headlines. By their pithy nature and bold type headlines give undue importance to certain news. The reader’s opinions are prejudiced by giving emotionally colored words and disguised comments in the headlines. The busy or lazy reader does not go to beyond the headlines; even the careful reader is satisfied with the first few paragraphs. The reader is not allowed to concentrate; short paragraphs and splitting up the item on different pages discourage it. The selection of the news is also leads to the misguidance of the readers. Editor must confirm to the newspaper policy and the taste of the readers in selecting news. Thus, objective selection is not possible. Otherwise also the information is so huge that the Editor cannot remain detached. Sometimes the tastes of readers force him to present serious matters in the crowded form to find room for sensational material. Moreover, selection involves preferences, suppression and compression of the news. Preference would mean undue importance whereas suppression and compression distort the truth. Thus, truth is falsified.