“LOCAL media must be strengthened if we wish to uphold press freedom” (Sunday Star, July 14) is a sound and necessary call. Simply put, press freedom serves as a necessary check and balance in our thriving democracy. Hence, “freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy”, noted renowned US journalist Walter Cronkite.
Media freedom serves as an essential safeguard in pushing for stronger transparency and accountability from our public agencies, including government departments, the judiciary and Parliament.
