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The Media has a dominant place in a nation's life. The Mass Media of Communication and Public are the two halves of a whole. These halves need a free environment in order to grow healthily. Therefore, the freedom of the press is directly related to the individual freedom. But how free should the press be?
The 9th matter in the Communique of United Nations of Human Rights deals with the freedom of Thought and Expression. It informs that everybody has the right to say and think whatever they want. This right makes it possible for everybody to stand for a view, to search information and spread them without being controlled by government or being concerned with the borders between countries. This matter is directly connected with the freedoom of the press which is the basic unit of a democratic society. The freedom of thought is regarded as the fundamental human right and the indepedence of the press is the result of the freedom of thought .
I certainly agree that broadcast and print media should operate freely since the media serves important functions in a country's life .
First of all, the media attracts our attention to what is happening ground us. It puts great emphasis on political and economic analysis and social and cultural issues. Besides, we receive news, comments, discussion programmes, sport and education by means of the media. It is quite true that the press creates positive developments in the views of a society. It goes anywhere in the world so as to provide objective and impartial news and truths journalists risk losing their lives. They are brave witnesses to most of tragic events like wars and bitter quarrels .
The Media tries to bridge the gap between citizens and administrators. It functions as a messenger. The expectations and needs of both sides are sent to each other through the media. While working it never takes side. In addition, it provides public with opportunity of discovering ideas and behaviors of political leaders. It creates a chance for everybody to take a part at a discussion .
Apart from these, the media controls all public institutions and civil community organisitions to make sure if they are working properly or not. It revals the injucties of these systems .
In order to function properly the press should certainly operate freely. The Media must be freedom in the content of what it broadcasts evcept pornographic and violent programmes and personal matters (gossip, scandal) since these have no relevance to any public issue .
However, Governments in some parts of the world apply control to reduce the true indepedence of the media because it reveals goverment's secrecy and its policies. Let's have a look at some countries. A press law passed in Iran campels journalists and editors from practicing journalism, limits government subsiclies to reformist publications, and institutionalizes the right of revolutinary courts to try complaints against the media. However, newspapers have been an integral part of the slow reform to Iranian politics that has occured since the 1997 election of president Mohammad Khatami. Since then, Iran has seen the emergence of numerous publications whose satire, advocacy of indepedent civil society, and investigative reporting on goverment wrongdoing indepedent press of plotting against Islam and the revolution, and the concervative-dominated judiciary has bannad most influential reformist papers. Broadcastmedia remain tightly controlled by conservatives. The goverment blocks internet sites considered 
offensive, while service providers practice self-censorship. At least 12 journalists were arrested in 1999 for such offenses as slander and insulting Islam. Some were sentenced to jai. A journalist from an Azerbaijani was abducted by customs officials in May. Several papers were either banned or suspended .
In Egypt the press law, the publications law, the panel code, and libel laws all restricts press freedom. Criticisim of the president, the goverment, and foreign heads of state may result in heavy fines or imprisaonmet. The goverment owns stock in the three major daily newspapers, and the president appoints their editorsin chief. These papers provide some ciritisim of the goverment. The goverment also monopolizes the printing and distribution of newspapers. The information ministry owns and operates all broadcast media. At least 12 journalists were charged in 1999 with such offenses as libeling goverment officials and spreading false information harmful to public interests. In August, three journalists with the opposition newspaper Alshaab were fined and sentenced to two years in prison for libeling the deputy prime minister. In june, the managing editor of Al-Arabi was sacked under pressure from the prime minister for apposing government policies. The organiser of an unauthorized journalists' union was 
arrested, fined and sentenced to three and a half years in prison."
As a farmer editor of the old NewYork Sun put it, <*> 
This implies that the media pays attention something worthy to publicise .
The Media is free; it cannot be censored .
