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A free press can reduce poverty and boost economic development in poor countries but the success of newspapers, radio and TV stations in spurring development depends on their independence, quality, and their ability to reach a wide audience, says a new book published by the World Bank. Free and independent media can expose corruption in government and the corporate sector, provide a voice for the people/citizens to be heard, and help build public consensus to bring about change, says the book, The Right to Tell - The Role of Mass Media in Economic Development . They can also help markets work better by providing reliable economic information, from small-scale vegetable trading in Indonesia and Ghana, to global foreign currency and capital markets in London and New York. "To reduce poverty, we must liberate access to information and improve the quality of information," World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn says in a foreword to the publication. "People with more information are empowered to make better choices. Free press is not a luxury for just rich countries. It is at the heart of equitable development. Institutions such as a free media that support transparency and the empowerment of the disenfranchised are essential."
Free and Independent Media Empower the Poor and Spur Development
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