Medias Role in Liberal Democracies - 1119 Words

The basic elements in a liberal democracy are regular elections, a parliament exercising control over government within law and individuals freedoms such as free debate, freedom of association and the right to protest (Carter Stokes, 2002). Regular elections should include competitiveness among parties to keep elections fair and voters should be aware of their interests. Additionally, as Carter and Stokes (2002) state that there should be â€Å"a parliament that can exercise control over the government and all this happens within a frame work of the rule of law† (p.10). A liberal democracy should include extensive freedoms of speech, press (all media properties), association, movement, thought and belief, assembly and protest, and language†¦show more content†¦Press should be careful to present complete and just information in order to maintain the public trust. One example is from New York Times (3 May 2003) that journalist Jayson Blair had made up interviews and stories, he was fired at the moment in an attempt to protect the integrity of the paper (Street, 2011, p.53). The love of propaganda of our days negatively affect news presentation in a way it manipulates and derives new information or selects information in favor of some particular groups. Investigating government power or political activity is another contribution that news can make to democracies. In other words this function can be described as maintaining politicians’ honesty. This provides the public to be aware of their politicians’ activities so people can make sound choices and rational decisions. In countries with non-liberal regimes, journalism cannot fulfill its investigative duties, serving to their political masters. Hutton (2008) claims that in China, journalists and editors receive â€Å"daily instructions on what may or may not be reported† (p.134). Journalists’ duty to serve the public includes investigating and gathering information by means of having connections and resources who mostly disguise themselves for the sake of remaining hidden. The excuse for keeping secret is either some activity is swept under the carpet or have some externalities result into affecting many. The journalists’ ability to investigate hasShow MoreRelatedMedia Studies1668 Words   |  7 PagesTwo opposing views on the role of media in society have thus far dominated media studies: the Marxist and liberal-pluralist perspectives. Simply, Marxist theorists see the role of the mass media as a means of maintaining the existing state of affairs, while the liberal pluralists see the role of the mass media as a means to promote the freedom of speech. The following essay will look more closely into the theories of these two schools with regards to how they see the role of the media in society,Read MoreEssay on Nonviolent Resistance Helped by Co mmunication Methods1251 Words   |  6 PagesNon-violent activism has played a critical role in several transitions from authoritarianism like, the withering away of the Soviet Union and the Apartheid in South Africa. For many activists, non-violent action has become an effective way to achieve social or political goals. Peter Ackerman and Christopher Kruegler, the authors of â€Å"Strategic Nonviolent Conlfict: The Dynamics of People Power in the Twentieth Century,† mention how the appearance of non-violent action as a weapon of choice in resolvingRead More Media Influence On Public Policy Essay1847 Words   |  8 PagesPolicymaking is a political process which is affected by various social and economic factors (Hofferbert, 1974) and media systems play an integral role in shaping the social context in which policies are developed. Through the media, citizens learn how government policies will affect them, and governments gain feedback on their policies and programs. Media systems act as the primary channels between those who might want to influence policy and the policymakers controlling the scope of politicalRead MoreMedia Influence on Public Policy Essays1861 Words   |  8 PagesPolicymaking is a political process which is affected by various social and economic factors (Hofferbert, 1974) and media systems play an integral role in shaping the social context in which policies are developed. Through the media, citizens learn how government policies will affect them, and governments gain feedback on their policies and programs. Media systems act as the primary channels between those who might want to influence policy and the policymakers controlling the scope of politicalRead MoreThe Media And Liberal Democracy2741 Words   |  11 PagesThe Media and Liberal Democracy Name: Areez Somani Professor:   Dr.  David Hoogenboom Student Number: 250644546 Due Date: July 19, 2015 Our society is based upon a set of key main ingredients that have led us to today’s era of information technology. This vast array of technological advancements concerning the internet, television, mobile devices and even newspapers all share one unique characteristic, they are controlled and manipulated by the media (Diamond, 2010, pg 5)Read MoreThe Relationship Between Social Media Platforms And The Government1517 Words   |  7 Pagesfallacies individuals have of the media’s role in society. 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Due to this reason, social comparisons are created that lead to ideological change in a communityRead MoreThe And Of Public Broadcasting1287 Words   |  6 Pagesoutlets equal access to more truth. What’s often an important ideology, but also overlooked or missed, is the relationship between the government and the mass media, and how their relationship interjects with our views of them. The Media Role Society The media’s role is to relay information to the public. Looking at the evidence, and the relationship between the government and the media, you’ will decided if private ownership means freedom from government ownership. The For Better, or For Worse: PoliticsRead MorePolarization in Us Politics1665 Words   |  7 Pagesless homogenous. There is now a consensus in the American media that their politics are increasingly Polarized between the liberal voters who vote Democrat, and the more traditional conservatives who support the Republican Party. This essay will assess the evidence for whether or not the American political system is indeed polarizing, and if so, then for what reasons? The role of political elites will also be examined, whether or not they are polarizing aswell, and whether this is a large contributingRead MoreGina Rinehart s Accumulation Of Fairfax Shares Essay1580 Words   |  7 Pagesis that one of the most powerful sectors in Australian society, the mining industry, were seeking to dominate one of the important accountability mechanisms in a democracy though economic means. Gina Rinehart, who is Australia s richest person, began accumulating shares in Fairfax in late 2010. In February 2012 she became Fairfax Media’s largest shareholder, purchasing a 14 per cent stake in the company. She later increased her stake and was believed to be planning a takeover before being forced