India’s freedom struggle was also a fight for a free press. From Tilak and Gandhi to Ambedkar and Azad, newspapers helped Indians challenge colonial power and shape political thought.

But after 1947, the question changed: can journalism scrutinise Indian power?

Today, press freedom faces a different set of challenges — corporate ownership, government advertising, legal pressure, self-censorship and the economics of journalism.

So what does a free press really mean today? And why does it matter to every citizen? Pooja Prasanna explains in this week’s Let Me Explain.

Your support keeps news free. Get a 6-month subscription at Rs 1947. Or gift it to your friends or relatives.