For decades, newspapers have remained the primary source of authentic and reliable information. Despite the various ‘new’ platforms for news on the internet today, the reach of newspapers is unmatchable.
In a democratic country like India newspapers play a pivotal role in dissemination of information and data. Newspapers become even more important during the election season. Newspapers have gathered and analysed information for voters at the local, state and federal levels.
Here are some key roles newspapers play during the election season:
- Newspapers give emphasis on fact-checking
Various social media sites act as a platform where people express their political opinions claiming they are full of facts and reliable information. However, people usually deceive the audience by displaying their views in a positive light and spreading fake news. The spread of rumours on applications like whatsapp and facebook is not a new phenomena. During elections such rumours increase and people tend to believe in whatever is shown to them with little or no evidence.
Here newspapers play an important role by only displaying factual information. While some subjective opinions are common in editorials, most of the content is checked and confirmed information. Such data is important for people to make a right choice during the elections and not wasting their precious vote on relying upon fake news.
- No bias.
Various news channels today are run by the name of an influential journalist or are maybe backed by political parties. These news channels tend to influence people the way the political parties/candidates want them to.
Journalists take the route of heated debates and shift focus from clearly delivering facts to entertaining arguments in order to up their channel’s Television Rating Point (TRP). Their tones and forms of questions reflect clear biases for a certain party and thus use their public reach to manipulate the electorate.
Newspapers on the other hand deliver information in a clear cut textual manner thus leaving the public to their interpretation of facts.
- Newspapers often reach the most active voters
While many people may find it a pain to pick up and read a newspaper, a survey suggests that persistent voters tend to be newspaper readers. People who take interest in national and international affairs tend to be more politically involved and take elections rather seriously.
Of those who always vote in local elections, 27 percent are more likely to read the daily newspaper than the typical adult, according to research from Nielsen Scarborough released this year. Of them, seven in 10 read newspaper media in print, online or on mobile devices in a typical week
- Newspapers reach a large portion of voters
55 million voters are exposed to newspaper content on social media sites. Along with which, newspapers are available in 22 scheduled languages of India and many others spoken throughout the country.
Such a wide coverage thus enables information to reach all sects of the society. It is of supreme importance that the electorate is informed in a democratic election process, and this information must be equally provided to all.
- Newspapers talk.
In order to keep the user engaged newspapers tend to engage in intriguing debates and thus display two sides of the coin. Newspapers also get involved directly with candidates through phone, email and interviews in person that allow questions that readers may have had to be asked.
CONCLUSION
- Newspapers are of crucial importance during the elections. Newspapers give emphasis on fact-checking, unlike news channels they don’t tend to influence people the way the political parties/candidates want them to. Newspapers often reach the most active voters and also large portions.
