Communication Institutions in Israel - Research Paper Example

Communication institutions Throughout the course, a number of media models have been discussed some of which include authoritarianism, libertarianism, social responsibility, commercial and propaganda and internet media model. These models often vary from one country to another depending on the cultures and freedoms of the societies. For example, the social responsibility media model is the kind of media whereby the media are given the freedom to practice without external restraints. In this regard, the media and the journalists are required to be guided by their internal convictions, conscience, responsibility and honesty (McQuail, 2005).

On the other hand, the libertarian media model refers to the kind of media which champions the lack of state intervention in the activities of journalists. Consequently, the media are only supposed to be controlled by their private owners. Authoritarian models of media are completely under the control of the governments and are often used as tools to influence public opinions. In the contemporary Israeli media system, the best media model would be libertarianism. This is particularly because much of the Media in Israel is currently privately owned (Frankel, 1994).

Additionally, the contemporary Israeli media are independent and journalists are taking advantage of the democratic press freedom in the country by freely expressing themselves in a number of issues ranging from wars, political campaigns and social issues. Modern state of Israel is a country of diverse culture that is at conflict with a number of its Arab neighbors. With regard to economic development, the Israeli economy has significantly undergone transformation over the years from a centralized state controlled economy to the current liberal free market economy.

Today Israel has adopted an industrial economy which is primarily based in the manufacture of electronics and other high tech equipment. Israel is a rapidly developing economy with a liberal democratic system. For a small country that is faced with a number of social and cultural problems such as immigration, terrorism and other social issues, it is important that the media are given the necessary independence and freedom to enlighten the public on the contemporary issues. The media structure of Israel has been largely shaped by the fact that much of the media in Israel is privately own and the journalists given the full freedom to express themselves without government restrictions.

Some of the most common media channels in Israel include newspapers, televisions, radio, cinema, as well as the emerging telecommunication platforms such as the internet. For a long time, the Israeli media industry has always been dominated by the use of news papers as a channel for many decades. For example, as far as the early 19th century, Hebrew newspapers have always been popular media for the Israeli religious and political groups. Today the use of newspapers is still widespread in Israel and there are currently around 20 daily newspaper publications in Israel.

These newspapers are published in a number of languages, such as Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and English. Another important media channel that has been instrumental in the social and cultural changes in Israel is radio broadcasting. In the contemporary media structure of Israel, many privately owned radio stations have been licensed. Almost 90% of the Israeli population are reached by radio broadcasting in Israel. On the other hand, television has grown to become one of the most influential media channels in Israel.

There are a number of privately owned television channels In Israel that specialize in educational programs, entertainment, children programs and films. Television journalists are given full freedom to express themselves to the Israeli public. The government, however, provides supervision to ensure that the media regulations are fully obeyed. Currently, Israel has adopted a new digital television broadcast that is broadcasting in a many channels. Film making has also continued to grow in Israel and some of the Israeli films, such as “Lebanon” by Samuel Maoz, have gained international recognition.

The contemporary film industry is fast growing and the government is providing incentives such as tax benefits.Libertarian media represent the model that seeks to enable individuals realize their potentials by having uncontrolled access to the press. In this context, private owned and independent media are allowed to exercise their freedoms of expression in a democratic space while at the same time they are expected to be guided by their social responsibilities (Hallin and Mancini, 2004). The social responsibility of the journalists and media owners allows them the freedom to practice without external restraints but they are required to be guided by their internal convictions, conscience, responsibility and honesty.

Journalists are also expected to enlighten the public on a number of social issues affecting their countries. Finally, this kind of media model demands balancing the freedom of the media with the social interests. For example, the media are supposed to consider the potential effects of their utterances on the public welfare and security. Although freedom of expression allows every individual to express their opinion without any restraint by the government, the freedom of expression is not always absolute and both the private media owners, as well as the journalists, should carry their duties within their social obligations.

ReferencesFrankel, E. (1994). The Press and Politics in Israel, Westport: Greenwood Press.Hallin, D. & Mancini, P. (2004). Comparing Media Systems. Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.McQuail, D. (2005). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. 5th Edition. London: Sage.