In all societies, with different political structures, be they authoritarian or democratic, the role of the media is a unique one. It records, it exposes, it comments, it reflects and it postulates.
There are tendencies within more authoritarian societies for the media to come under attack, often to face life threats.
The tragic death of Daniel Pearl (official report of his death was released on Jan 29, 2002) within Pakistan recently is an example. Within Indian democracy, the increasing growth of authoritarian tendencies under the garb of communalism, have in recent decades hampered and endangered the functioning of journalists.
In any democracy, the right to equality, the freedom to practice one’s faith and the right to live with dignity go hand with hand with the freedom of expression with includes the right to dissent. If minority rights are fundamental to a democracy, democracy is unimaginable without the freedom of expression.