If you are searching for the How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board, you’ve landed in the right place. This page gives you a clear, concise, and exam-focused explanation of Dorothy L. Sayers’ essay How Free is the Press.
Inside, you will find:
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A simple summary Of in student-friendly language.
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A detailed explanation of the key ideas and seven abuses of press freedom.
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About the Author section for quick exam reference.
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FAQs related to the Bihar Board syllabus to answer your most common doubts.
Whether you are revising at the last minute or making detailed exam notes, this page ensures you understand How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board in one go—without searching anywhere else.
About the Author—Dorothy L. Sayers
Dorothy Leigh Sayers (1893–1957) was an English essayist, playwright, poet, and writer of detective fiction. Educated at Somerville College, Oxford, she became one of the first women to graduate from Oxford University in 1915.
Her works include the detective novels Clouds of Witness, Unnatural Death, Lord Peter Views the Body, The Nine Tailors, and Gaudy Night. She also edited Great Short Stories of Detection and produced a well-regarded verse translation of Dante’s Inferno.
In her essay “How Free is the Press,” Sayers writes with clarity and precision to address the misuse of press freedom and the dangers of misreporting.
How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board
In How Free is the Press, Dorothy L. Sayers examines the limitations and pressures under which the press operates. She asserts that true freedom of a nation is impossible without freedom of the press, as it is the medium through which ideas and opinions are multiplied and shared with the public.
However, she stresses that freedom does not mean chaos or lawlessness; uncontrolled freedom can lead to tyranny. During wartime, press freedom is often restricted, but in peace, it should be responsibly restored.
Sayers defines press freedom in a restricted and technical sense and lists seven common abuses that undermine it:
- False emphasis – distorting importance.
- Garbling—selective presentation of facts.
- Inaccuracy—careless reporting.
- Reversal of facts—presenting the opposite of the truth.
- Random invention—making up details.
- Miracle mongering—exaggerating events to sensationalize.
- Flat suppression—deliberately omitting facts.
She points out that press control often rests on two wrong assumptions:
- The public cannot distinguish truth from falsehood.
- The public doesn’t care if something is false, as long as it is exciting.
Through this essay, Sayers warns against misreporting and the misuse of press freedom, urging that it be exercised with responsibility and integrity.
How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board In Hindi
“प्रेस की आज़ादी कितनी है”—सारांश
प्रेस की आज़ादी कितनी है में डोरोथी एल. सेयर्स ने उन सीमाओं और दबावों का विश्लेषण किया है जिनके अंतर्गत प्रेस काम करता है। उनका मानना है कि किसी भी देश की सच्ची आज़ादी प्रेस की आज़ादी के बिना संभव नहीं है, क्योंकि प्रेस वह माध्यम है जिसके द्वारा विचार और राय जनता तक पहुँचाए और फैलाए जाते हैं।
वे यह भी स्पष्ट करती हैं कि आज़ादी का मतलब अराजकता या कानूनविहीनता नहीं है; अगर स्वतंत्रता पर कोई नियंत्रण न हो तो वह तानाशाही में बदल सकती है। युद्ध के समय प्रेस पर अक्सर प्रतिबंध लगते हैं, लेकिन शांति के समय इनको जिम्मेदारी के साथ हटाया जाना चाहिए।
सेयर्स ने प्रेस की स्वतंत्रता को एक सीमित और तकनीकी अर्थ में परिभाषित किया है और इसके दुरुपयोग के सात प्रमुख रूप बताए हैं:
- गलत महत्व देना – किसी बात के महत्व को तोड़-मरोड़ कर पेश करना।
- तथ्यों को चुनिंदा तरीके से पेश करना (Garbling)।
- गलतियाँ – लापरवाही से रिपोर्टिंग करना।
- तथ्यों का उलट देना – सच्चाई के विपरीत बात प्रस्तुत करना।
- बिना आधार के गढ़ना – तथ्य बनाना।
- चमत्कार गढ़ना – घटनाओं को बढ़ा-चढ़ाकर पेश करना।
- पूर्ण रूप से दबा देना – जानबूझकर किसी तथ्य को छुपाना।
वे बताती हैं कि प्रेस पर नियंत्रण दो गलत धारणाओं पर आधारित होता है:
- जनता सच और झूठ में अंतर नहीं कर सकती।
- जनता को फर्क नहीं पड़ता कि कोई बात झूठी है, बशर्ते वह रोमांचक हो।
इस निबंध (How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board) के माध्यम से सेयर्स गलत रिपोर्टिंग और प्रेस की स्वतंत्रता के दुरुपयोग के खिलाफ चेतावनी देती हैं और इसे जिम्मेदारी एवं ईमानदारी के साथ प्रयोग करने का आग्रह करती हैं।
Question Answer: How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board
Question 1: Why is the press not free?
Answer: In the piece ‘How free is the press,’ Dorothy L. Sayers says that there are situations when the newspapers are not free. For example, it is so in the time of war. The advertisers and the owner of the press also restrict their freedom.
Question 2: What makes the newspaper reports unreliable?
Answer: In the piece ‘How free is the press,’ Dorothy L. Sayers describes how facts are distorted in the newspaper reports. The democratic governments may not control them. But others, like advertisers or owners, may curtail their freedom.
Question 3: What do you mean by the term ‘free press’?
Answer: “Free press” means freedom in a very technical and restricted sense, namely, freedom from direction or censorship by the government.
Question 4: Who is the master—the state or the people?
Answer: The state is not the master but the servant of the people. In this regard, it may be sad that the people have an is with the state.
Question 5: What does the unofficial censorship seek to do?
Answer: The heaviest restriction upon the freedom of public opinion is not the official censorship of the press but the unofficial censorship, which poses a restriction upon the freedom of public opinion.
Question 6: What do free ‘people’ take for granted?
Answer: The free press is a thing that all free people take for granted.
Question 7: Are there restrictions on the press in times of war?
Answer: Yes, there are restrictions on the press in times of war. At such times, all liberties have to be restricted.
FAQs: How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board
1. How do I free the press summary?
You can summarize How Free is the Press by focusing on Dorothy L. Sayers’ main point: A nation cannot be truly free without press freedom, but this freedom should be used responsibly. She warns against misreporting, sensationalism, and hiding facts, and urges the press to work with honesty and integrity.
2. Which book is best for Class 12th Bihar Board?
For Class 12 Bihar Board, the official Bihar Board English book prescribed by BSEB is the best. For a deeper understanding, you can also refer to NCERT English books and a good guidebook like Golden English or Bharti Bhawan.
3. What do free people take for granted, Class 12 Bihar Board?
In the context of the syllabus, free people often take freedom itself for granted — including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to express ideas without fear.
4. How free is the press’s explanation?
It’s an essay by Dorothy L. Sayers that explains how the press, while essential for democracy, is often limited by false reporting, exaggeration, and censorship. She gives seven common ways the press can mislead the public and stresses that freedom must come with responsibility.
5. Who is the author of The Artist Class 12?
The author of The Artist in Class 12, Bihar Board English, is Shiga Naoya.
6. Write the summary of The Artist.
The Artist tells the story of Seibei, a boy who loves making gourds instead of studying. He becomes so skilled that people offer to buy his work, but his father forces him to stop. The story highlights how talent can be misunderstood or discouraged by society.
7. How Free is the Press ka explanation?
It means describing how the press functions, its limits, and the ways it can be misused. Dorothy L. Sayers explains that the press is powerful but must avoid dishonesty, false emphasis, and withholding truth.
8. Who is the topper of BSEB Class 12?
The topper changes every year. You can check the official Bihar Board (BSEB) website for the latest topper list for your year.
9. Is NCERT enough for BSEB?
NCERT books are very helpful for concept clarity, but for exams, you should also study the Bihar Board prescribed textbooks and practice from previous year papers.
10. How free is the press? True or false?
If you mean, “Is the statement ‘How Free is the Press’ true or false?”, then it’s neither—it’s the title of an essay, not a factual statement to mark true or false.
Conclusion – How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board
The How Free is the Press Summary Class 12 Bihar Board is essential for students not only to score well but also to understand the responsibilities of freedom. Dorothy L. Sayers’ essay shows that while press freedom is a pillar of democracy, it must be guided by truth, responsibility, and integrity.
With this complete guide, you now have exam-ready notes—covering the author, English and Hindi summaries, explanations, and FAQs—all in one place.