Over recent years there has been a growing acceptance that the general public has a right to participate in the free flow of information and to know about what is going on in their community, particularly the workings of government and parliament.  As such there has been an expanding call for governance to become more open and transparent.  Another incentive for increasing the flow of information within communities has been the realization that an informed society and open and accountable democratic institutions are essential for growth, development and poverty alleviation.  Furthermore, governance that is responsive to the needs of all citizens is central to parliamentarians having their mandates renewed by the community.

One of the best ways to achieve transparency and facilitate the flow of information between parliament and the community is via the media; accordingly parliaments need to consider how they can forge a strong professional relationship with the media in order to build an informed society.  However, the relationship between the media and parliament is complex and often strained by a lack of media independence, perceived bias or the failure of the press gallery and editors to demarcate between reporting and commentary. 

Despite the, often rocky, relationship that exists between these two parties, parliamentarians are slowly accepting that a free and independent media is an essential component of a functioning democracy and necessary for an informed society.  An information rich society provides parliamentarians with the feedback they require in order to respond to the needs of citizens, whilst ensuring they pursue a course of action that has taken into account all the negative consequences.  In addition to building a strong relationship with the media, parliaments can also champion transparency by making parliament more open, implementing regimes that facilitate public access to information and developing a regulatory environment conducive to a free and independent media.