Media and Democracy: Conjoined Twins - Essay Example

Media and Democracy: Conjoined Twins Introduction: The background and Importance of the Media Currently, the media is arguably the most powerful influence upon public opinion and behaviour in all developed and most developing countries. In democratic countries, the media is a key element to the functioning of the system. If the democracy is to remain a true democracy there are two major needs: an informed and educated populace and a free and reasonably honest and open system of election. And educated populace is an absolute necessity if democracy is to survive. This is because educated people will automatically flow to the top of on perspective leaders. All of those perspective leaders, those with the most ambition will likely take the power. If the population is not educated they will not be able to differentiate among the perspective leaders, in order to choose those most likely to support the needs of the populace. Equally important is a free and open press, including all other mass media, such as radio and television and even the Internet. It is absolutely necessary that the populace have access to a free and open press in order to be able to follow and understand the news of what is going on within and without the country. Having access to what leaders do and what other countries do and what is going on in the world allows the populace to choose the direction in which they wish their country to go in this way they can choose the leaders that they believe will take them in that direction. Of course both of these are absolutely dependent upon a free and open and fairly honest system of election. Otherwise the people have no choice at all. There has been a great deal of research done on the media over the past century, most of it during the past half-century. So one might say well why do we need to research the media then? The answer to this is that the media is constantly changing. Two things make major changes in media: technology and sociology. Technological changes, such as the advent of the Internet, accessibility of radio and television broadcast signals and the attendant lowering of costs for receivers, all make the media more accessible to the public and to those who would use the media to communicate with or influence the public. Sociological changes may be based in political changes, such as changes in the government or even the form of government, or changes in the dynamic culture of the society. Economic changes can influence both of these. Likewise, political and sociological changes can have powerful effects upon economical changes. In essence, a democracy, and most other forms of government, is a dynamic system within which various factors interact in order to maintain the smooth running of government and the equilibrium of the society. If we look at the functionalist concept of organizations, including government, we can see that these dynamic interactions are absolutely necessary in order to respond to the needs of the society of the governed.1 So in this state if dynamic flux of a more and more global social network, all governments are constantly changing and the new media is a powerful influence upon this change. Necessarily, social systems also change the media, but on modern democracies it is the media which has the most power, not the government. Whoever controls that media controls the direction of social change. The freer and more open the press and the more educated the populace the more stable this dynamic system will become, especially where it concerns the needs of the people. The Aims of this Research It is the aim of this research project to investigate the current state of the relationship between democracy and the media. We would like to examine this relationship historically and try to trace some of the dynamic interactions which brought about change. This si in order to answer our main research question: What is the role of the media in ongoing development of democratic rule and how should that change to increase the stability of the government and enhance the lives of the governed? The questions we hope to answer are as follows: 1. What is the role of the media in democracy? 2. What should this role be? 3. What was the historical relations hip between the media and democratic societies? 4. What factors within the past two or three centuries effected change? 5. What is the current relationship between the media and democratic societies? 6. What brought this about? 7. How is this changing? 8. What are the possibilities for the future? Because the media is such a powerful influence, it is important to understand the dynamic relationship between it and society in order to identify the various factors which will influence our lives, our history and our social customs. This is important in most areas of sociological and business study. Methodology In order to investigate these questions a very thorough literature review will be undertaken and the timeline of change will be traced. The current status of the relationship between the media and democratic rule will be evaluated. An attempt will be made to identify the various factors in the dynamic relationship and evaluate their use and power. Influences will be identified. Both peer review sources and Internet sources will be used, but they will be separately analyzed and the analyses compared. Then, it is proposed that a survey be conducted on line with a large and highly varied sample, separating those respondents living within democratically rules counties and those under other forms of government, with the sole aim of identifying popular attitudes, the perception levels of the populace and their perceptions of the influences of media upon government. It is expected that by matching these two sources of data we can successfully answer the research questions and make a reasonable prediction of the future plus identify other areas for research. In addition we will be better able to understand the current uses of public relations. Huyse (2010) 2says that there are really only two types of public relations : “Broker: An intermediary between an organization and its stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutions. Image Builder: The image builder looks at communication as a zero sum game, where the immediate interests of the organization trump that of its stakeholders.” Considering these two, which seem logical, but which will be confirmed, it seems logical to investigate these questions in the light of current PR practices. It is expected that we will find that PR practices exert a strong influence upon the media. In addition to the complete literature review, and the popular opinion, perception survey, we will also create a survey aimed at the media, and we will attempt to interview sources from the left to right and center. These are educated people and the questions will have to be carefully crafted in order to supply balanced information. A Likert scale might be a good tool for this portion of the direct research. Brief Review of Current Literature Definition of Media For the purposes of this project we are defining the media as any channel of mass communication. These include: radio, television, newspapers and magazines, book and the Internet. On the Internet alone there are various channels from government website, recognized journalistic websites, independent website of groups or individuals, social networking sites, entertainment websites, news groups and RSS feed and podcasts. We will look very closely at these, since it appears that the Internet has become a very powerful media channel. Short History of the Media in Relation to Democratic Societies One of the first things that we should note about the current status of media in relationship with Democratic societies is that it is immense. Not only is there such an enormity of sources as to be nearly uncountable, but most of these are available to almost anyone with an Internet connection. Historically, mass media probably began with the invention of the Gutenberg press. Before that reading matter was restricted to those placed highly in government, the aristocracy and the clergy. Few others even knew how to read. In fact, the copyists who copied the Gutenberg Bible probably did not know how to read. However, the availability of the adjustable and movable type printing press made books available to nearly everyone. After this the development of newspapers became the reading fare for the common man, since these could be bought for very little money. Underground newspapers became a force for political change as did mass-produced flyers. The addition of radio in the early part of the twentieth century, added huge power to the media. The available audience was multiplied many fold on Sunday, March 12, 1933, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had his first fireside chat with the American people at 10 PM Eastern standard Time from the White House via nationwide radio broadcast. 3 New York led the way in for television in 1941, and television news became widely available over the next few years. So by the mid-twentieth century print media and broadcast sound and video were widely available in developed countries. This was a powerful mix, prompting public relations organizations and departments within other organizations to swing into high gear, each one seeking to fulfill its own agenda. Over the next thirty or so years. There were many improvements in radio and television broadcasting in the prices of receivers made them available to pretty much everyone. However, in the 1980s a new paradigm shift was about to take place: the advent of the Internet. It had begun in the 1940s as ARPANET, a connection of government and institutional computers in order to facilitate communication among scientists. By the early 1980s, certain social networks developed, BBSs, university bulletin boards, and commercial networks such as CompuServe and AOL. News groups had expanded into these networks, connecting all kinds of professionals all over the world. However, it was still black screen with no GUI interface. The advent of the GUI interface in the form of the World Wide Web increased the power and availability of the Internet. Most recently, technological advances have precipitated convergence of all of these media channels, and made them available pretty much anywhere on the globe. Most places, all of this power can be accessed from a smart cell phone, but even in the middle of the desert. One can use a satellite feed to access the Internet. What has this done to the relationship between the media and democracy? Current Status of the Media in Democratic Countries All of the above media sources are now available in all developed countries, and most developing countries. Each of the four types of media has its own particular characteristics in value. Print media do not require any kind of technology to be carried on the person. Newspapers and magazines can simply be tucked into bags and take it along. They can also be purchased almost anywhere. Printed books can be purchased or borrowed from the library. These require a certain kind of attention, but it is also easy to use them for a few minutes at a time and then go back to them later. Radio is universally available on small receivers home receivers, smart phones, in vehicles and a small stand-alone earphone versions or even on watches. Televisions were almost as universally available, but they are a bit more expensive. The Internet is available on a number of different technologies from smart phones to reading pads, known as digital readers too small lightweight net books, and very portable laptops. Free wireless access is available in many places, from libraries and transportation terminals to cyber cafés and schools. In fact, we are constantly surrounded by media. For the purpose of this study will be using only news and information typed programming that purports to be a true and impartial report of the facts, or an informed opinion about such. We will not include fiction entertainment, the or any of a number of other types of programming. The variety is quite enough when you consider the various types of reported shot of available shots to on television. When you add the radio, newspapers magazines, books and the Internet it boggles the mind. This points to another problem concerning the dilution or confusion factor in the face of such information overload which we will discuss later. Because of the importance of the media news and information sources are expected to maintain a certain standard in a democratic society and the populace expects this to be so. 4 However, all one has to do is listen to several competing stations or networks, such as Fox and MSNBC to see that truth is relative. Not everyone agrees that having all these divergent sources is a good thing. Many people think that it makes it very difficult for the populace to sift among the various sources in order to gain an understanding of what is actually true. Meacham 5is one of these: he insists that the American public is able to sift through the various news media from both the conservative and liberal sides and identify what is actually true in order to make informed decisions. So what is the role of media in a democratic society? According to Gurevitch and Blumler 6 the democratic functions of the media sector include making a surveillance of the areas in social and political developments, identifying issues that are most important and relevant, providing a platform for interchange of views among the people as well as the political figures or statesmen and holding all prominent authorities in government, business, education and the public sector accountable for the ways they perform their duties. McCloud 7says that. “The news media should provide a forum for competing ideas so that the public can make informed, intelligent decisions; and (2) the news media should play an active role in ferreting out the truth.” These are at times contradictory, but then again it is the role of the media to provide some way for the public to make an informed decision as to what portion of which is true among the various sources. Scheuer 8insists that failure to focus on all the facets of mainstream media (and alternatives) means failure politically. He quotes Liebling when he pointed out that the press is part of the foundation and support of democracy, but currently the weakest part. ‘Democracies” says Scheuer, “need quality journalism—just as they need quality education—to promote informed and active citizenship.” Is this idea that democracy needs an equally informed and educated populace in order to survive . That points to the real danger in the current situation. Currently our education system is under tremendous strain, while more and more the power of the media becomes concentrated. One or the other of these must be changed. We must educate our children to enable them to be good media consumers. They must be able to reason logically, in order to choose among the many alternatives for information which guides their lives. Not all of these are paid media. The Internet has zoomed onto the horizon with so much information. That finding truth in it can be as difficult as piecing together a message that has been into confetti and mixed into a pile of other piles of confetti. The Internet is a siren, beckoning with its multimedia and millions of voices. However, identifying true among the sources available on the Internet can be a real task. It is no less daunting to choose among the many commercial television stations with their left right middle science, and everyone with their own agenda for our daily news. Media literacy is not absolute necessity in our education system. Jenkins and Thorburn says, “To illustrate how the web may grant visibility and influence to alternative political perspectives, we can cite the rise of independent media centers during the 2000 protests in Seattle against the World trade organization. Indymedia.org acted as a clearinghouse for publicizing the goals of the protesters, posting first-person reports, photographs, sound recordings, and digital video footage. These digitally savvy activists linked their own documentaries via satellite to a network of public-access stations around the country, developed their own Internet radio station, and published their own newspaper, available on their Web site to readers around the world” (Jenkins, H. & Thorburn, D. 2000). 9 The other problem which has capitalist forces running amok, dominating our modern democracies must also be resolved. Most countries have managed this with socialist reforms, United States States is pulling up on the caboose with that one. Uncontrolled capitalism has almost made an economic ruin of the country. Balance must be re-established. The media can be a tremendously valuable tool to this end. For example, the recent election of the first black president of the United States was largely accomplished via grassroots actions, and an innovative use of the Internet to dispense information and gather contributions. The Democratic Party leverage the Internet almost parallel to the way Roosevelt used the radio to quiet the banking crisis of 1933.10 It should be noted that the role of the media does not end with just pointing out the problems. It is true that the media does not have the authority to solve socio-political problem, but it does have the power to drive circumstances in the right direction. Though the power of the media is not the topic of my research, it has to be understood that the media power is significantly relevant when the subject is the different ways media can and does influence the socio-political structures of modern democratic societies. There are complaints that media does not report the truth. The suggestion is that media slants the news according to their purpose. With the media world being characterized by growing competition each media house has definite strategies to reach out to the maximum number of people. To serve this purpose, they remain far from the position of providing the citizens with the truth. Since media has the power to shift focus of attention by the ways they present information, they invariably influence the thinking of the people. The media circus of the last couple of years in the United States has become quite entertaining. However we must recognize that there is a significant portion of the population which watches one slant or the other. While a lot of people stick to the more middle-of-the-road sources where many people, who either watch Fox or MSNBC, the right or the left. If they watched both, then perhaps they could strike a balance. Happily, both of these sources seems to recently been paying quite a lot of attention to the other side. Conclusions From the literature review, it becomes clear that there is great deal of research being done in the area of media and democracy. However, with the explosion in conversions of media sources, much more research is needed, something not touched upon in this brief literature review which will be examined in the complete literature review is the effect of society upon the media beast to forces seem to be constantly pushing against each other of late, and the effect is a total modification of both. It will not be enough to look at one side without looking at the other and identifying the dynamic forces at work. We have noted that the media, specifically the Internet, had a major role in the election of the first black president of the United States. Currently, there is a whole political epic being played out among the various media sources, including even the use of hired actors masquerading as grassroots activists in order to "make news". This will be looked at very carefully in the longer literature review References: 1. (1991). New Directions in Comparative Politics (H. J. Wiarda, Ed.) (Revised ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 2. Huyse, Kami Watson. (2010). Id PR Paid to Lie?. Communication Overtones . June 8, 2008 , http://overtonecomm.blogspot.com/2008/06/is-pr-paid-to-lie-two-paradigms-of.html 3. Brands, H. W. "15 Minutes that Saved America." American History 43, no. 4 (October 2008): 34-41. 4. Kellner D., 2004: ‘The Media and Social Problems’ in Ritzer G (ed) ‘Handbook of Social Problems: A Comparative International Perspective’ 5. MEACHAM, J., 2010. Democracy is a Pesky Thing. Newsweek, 155(11), 4-4. 6. Gurevitch M, Blumler J. 1990: Political Communication Systems and Democratic Values in Lichtenberg J (ed) Democracy And the Mass Media. Cambridge University Press 7. MCLEOD, DOUGLAS M. "DERELICT OF DUTY: THE AMERICAN NEWS MEDIA, TERRORISM, AND THE WAR IN IRAQ." Marquette Law Review 93, no. 1 (Fall2009 2009): 113-137. 8. SCHEUER, J., 2007. Media, Democracy, and the Left. University of Pennsylvania Press. 9. Jenkins, H. & Thorburn, D. 2000: ‘Introduction: The Digital Revolution, the Informed Citizen, and the Culture of Democracyin Jenkins, H. & Thorburn, D.(ed) ‘Democrac and New Media’ 10. Brands, H. W. "15 Minutes that Saved America." American History 43, no. 4 (October 2008): 34-41. BRANDS, H.W., 2008. 15 Minutes that Saved America. American History, 43(4), 34-41. MCLEOD, D.M., 2009. Derelict of Duty: the American News Media, Terrorism, and the War in Iraq. Marquette Law Review, 93(1), 113-137. Read More