1.4 Significance of Mass Media

Democracy's oxygen: the informed citizen — public deliberation's medium; the elections' and accountability's infrastructure (no free press, no meaningful vote); The watchdog (fourth estate): power's scrutiny — investigative journalism's exposure of corruption and abuse; the courts' and executive's critical companion; The rights' vehicle: expression's own realization (Article 17(2)(a)); the public's right to know (Article 27 — the Right to Information Act 2064's frame, Unit 2.3); The social functions: education and culture; entertainment; development's messenger (public health, disaster communication); The flip-side (the regulation's justification): the power's danger — misinformation's spread, hate's amplification (Unit 2.5's restrictions; Unit 9's trends), privacy's invasion (Unit 2.4) — the mass communicator's reach demands the accountability of Units 5–9.