Published Paper Details:

At the time of the French Revolution, the press was described as the Fourth Estate in the political establishment. In our times the expanding reach of newspapers, television, radio and the internet have made the media an even stronger pillar of our political existence. With the coming into being of the television and cable-channels, the amount of publicity which any crime or suspect or accused gets in the media has reached alarming proportions. Freedom of press and Media is one of the basic guarantees provided by civil society. However in modern world the right is not limited to express ones' view through words but it also includes circulating one's views in writing or through audiovisual instrumentalities, through advertisements and through any other communication channel. It also comprises of right to information, freedom of press and Media etc. It is a right to express and self realization. In India freedom of speech and expression is mentioned in Article 19(1) (a), which falls in fundamental right category. Freedom of the press is essentially an integral part of the freedom of expression and lies at the heart of right of freedom of speech and expression, and is rightly covered within the ambit of Article 19 (1) (a) even without an express mention. The Constitution also lays down some restrictions in the form of Article 19(2), which provides that the right to freedom of speech and expression shall not affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the state from making any law insofar as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of that right in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, public decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to offence. The present paper highlight the media freedom and interface between media and the law in India.