Important Questions Chapter 8 English Rainbow Part 2 Class 12 Bihar Board बिहार बोर्ड

How Free is the Press

Short Questions with Answers

1. Who wrote the essay “How Free Is the Press” ?

Answers : Dorothy L. Sayers wrote the essay “How Free Is the Press.”

2. What is the essay “How Free Is the Press” about?

Answers : It discusses press freedom, its limitations, and its misuse.

3. What does the author say about free people and the press?

Answers : Free people believe that a free press is essential for their freedom.

4. What is meant by ‘freedom of the press’?

Answers : It means freedom from government censorship or control.

5. Is the British press free under normal conditions?

Answers : Yes, it is free from government control in peaceful times.

6. What role do advertisers play in the press?

Answers : Advertisers heavily influence the editorial policy of newspapers.

7. What is one reason newspapers are not fully independent?

Answers : They depend on advertisers and owners for revenue.

8. Why do newspapers give sensational headlines?

Answers : Sensational headlines attract more readers and increase sales.

9. What does the author say about the power of newspaper owners?

Answers : Owners control policies, sometimes driven by personal interests.

10. What is garbling, according to the essay?

Answers : Garbling is when a press interviewer distorts facts or statements.

11. What is ‘random invention’ in press reporting?

Answers : It refers to reporters making up facts without consulting the subject.

12. Why are letters of protest rarely effective?

Answers : Newspapers often ignore them or respond with excuses.

13. What are two assumptions the press makes about readers?

Answers : The press assumes readers can’t tell truth from lies and don’t care about falsehoods.

14. What example does the author give of inaccurate reporting?

Answers : The press reported wrong details about a burglary in the author’s home.

15. What is the main source of revenue for newspapers?

Answers : Advertisements are the primary revenue source for newspapers.

16. What is “miracle-mongering”?

Answers : Miracle-mongering is exaggerating events to make them seem extraordinary.

17. How does censorship by the press restrict public opinion?

Answers : It manufactures opinions rather than expressing genuine ones.

18. What happens to books that criticize the press?

Answers : Such books are rarely published or reviewed favorably.

19. What does the author say about the accuracy of reports on world events?

Answers : If small reports are wrong, reports on major events are likely unreliable too.

20. What does the author suggest about the reader’s freedom?

Answers : The reader is not free because they are controlled by biased press narratives.

Medium Questions with Answers

1. What does the author mean by “freedom of the press” ?

Answers : Freedom of the press means being free from government control, but this freedom is limited by advertiser influence and owner bias. These factors create an unofficial censorship. The press often manipulates public opinion instead of genuinely expressing it.

2. How do advertisers control newspapers?

Answers : Advertisers provide most of the revenue for newspapers, so they avoid publishing anything that harms advertiser interests. Papers fear financial loss if advertisers withdraw support. This dependence restricts the freedom of newspapers.

3. Why are weekly or monthly papers more independent?

Answers : Weekly or monthly papers earn more from sales than advertisements, making them less reliant on advertisers. This allows them to express independent opinions. However, such papers are often expensive and reach a smaller audience.

4. What is the danger of owner-controlled newspapers?

Answers : Newspaper owners can use their influence to promote personal agendas, like attacking political rivals. Readers may think the views are unbiased, but they’re shaped by the owner’s interests. This misleads public opinion.

5. What is garbling in press reporting?

Answers : Garbling happens when reporters distort facts or misquote people in interviews. For example, Dorothy Sayers’ statements were twisted to mean something she never said. Such practices make interviews unreliable.

6. What are “random inventions” in the press?

Answers : Random inventions occur when reporters fabricate details without consulting the person involved. For example, the author was falsely reported to enjoy hobbies like gardening, which she disliked, showing the lack of care in reporting.

7. How do sensational headlines mislead readers?

Answers : Sensational headlines exaggerate or emphasize trivial aspects of news stories. This misleads readers into thinking these details are the most important. It’s often done to attract attention and increase newspaper sales.

8. What does the author say about the public’s assumptions?

Answers : The press assumes readers cannot distinguish truth from lies and don’t care if news is false. This leads to careless reporting and manipulation of public opinion. Such assumptions show a lack of respect for readers.

9. How does the press restrict public opinion through censorship?

Answers : Instead of expressing real opinions, the press creates or manufactures them to suit its interests. This unofficial censorship shapes what the public reads and believes, limiting genuine freedom of thought.

10. What is the role of protest letters in correcting false reports?

Answers : Protest letters are often ignored, dismissed with excuses, or accompanied by defensive editorial comments. This makes it hard for individuals to correct false impressions. Only rarely do newspapers issue full corrections or apologies.

11. Why does the author criticize modern press reporting?

Answers : The author criticizes the press for being careless and biased, often favoring sensationalism over truth. This blurs the line between fact and fiction, leading to mistrust. Even trivial news is distorted, creating an atmosphere of doubt.

12. How does the press impact the freedom of readers?

Answers : Readers are controlled by biased reporting and have limited ways to access accurate facts. They rely on newspapers that prioritize profits over truth. This makes readers’ freedom dependent on the interests of the press.

Long Questions with Answers

1. What does the author mean by “freedom of the press”?

Answers : The author explains that freedom of the press usually means freedom from government control. However, newspapers are not truly free due to influence from advertisers and owners. These pressures lead to unofficial censorship, limiting genuine public opinion. The press often shapes opinions rather than reflecting them.

2. How do advertisers and owners influence newspaper policies?

Answers : Advertisers fund newspapers, so papers avoid criticizing them to maintain revenue. Owners also control the editorial direction based on their personal interests or political goals. These influences restrict press freedom and manipulate public opinion. Readers often don’t realize how these biases affect the news.

3. What is garbling, and how does it affect press reliability?

Answers : Garbling refers to misrepresentation or distortion of facts during interviews or reporting. For example, the author’s truthful statements were twisted into misleading headlines. Such practices make interviews and news reports unreliable, reducing trust in the press.

4. What are “random inventions” in press reporting?

Answers : Random inventions happen when reporters fabricate details without verifying facts. Dorothy Sayers mentions a report about her hobbies, which was entirely false. This shows the carelessness of the press and how it misleads readers for trivial or sensational reasons.

5. Why does the author criticize sensational headlines?

Answers : Sensational headlines emphasize unimportant details to attract attention and increase sales. The author shares an example where only one word from her speech was used to create an exaggerated story. This distorts facts and misleads readers about the true context of events.

6. What does the author say about the public’s assumptions?

Answers : The press assumes readers cannot distinguish truth from lies and don’t care about accuracy. This leads to careless, biased reporting, creating a culture of misinformation. The author finds this assumption insulting to the intelligence and judgment of readers.

7. How do letters of protest fail to correct false reports?

Answers : Newspapers often ignore protest letters or respond defensively, refusing to take responsibility. Sometimes they publish partial corrections but fail to undo the damage caused by false reporting. Full apologies are rare, leaving the public misinformed.

8. What is the author’s view on the freedom of readers?

Answers : The author believes readers are not free because the press manipulates their opinions. Biased reporting, sensationalism, and financial pressures limit access to truthful information. Readers depend on newspapers that prioritize profits over honest journalism, reducing their freedom to form independent opinions.