Media & Society

Media - Inevitable
Role of media in society

 Today media become a part of everyone’s life. Media plays a major role
in today’s society, now media become food to strengthen or weaken
society.
 The purpose of a media is to give information about current news,
gossips, Fashion, and the latest gadgets in the marketplace of the
people. The role of a media has to be one way trading and marketing of
products, and prejudices, along with basic objectives.
 Media may have a bad effect on a generation, mainly because youth is
strongly influenced by media teenagers and children are intended to
follow their people, who are recognized and follow what they do to get
noticed.
Influence of Media

 Society is influenced by media in so many ways. It is the media for the

masses that helps them to get information about a lot of things and
also form opinions and make a judgment regarding various issues.
 It is the media, which keep people updated and informed about what is
happening around them and the world that everyone draws something
from it.
 Mirror” of the society,
 It is the media which shapes our lives
 Ears & Eyes of the society
Influence of Media

 Media is the sword arm of democracy

 Media acts as watchdog to protect public interest against malpractice
and create public awareness.
 Root out evils:
 Today when politicians are taking full advantage of their positions, an
evil nexus of mafia and crime syndicate is making the life of the
common man miserable.
 As a forth pillar, it acts against the injustice, oppression, misdeeds and
partiality of our society.
Media controls mind

 Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.

 ‘The Media’ is an incredibly powerful way to send information and
messages to specific groups of people, a particular society, or just
about everyone on the planet.
 Any organization that controls mainstream media has incredible
power over what people do and how they perceive and think about the
world they live in.
 As the old saying goes ‘If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating
it, people will eventually come to believe it’ – and how true this have
proven to be.
Media - Octopus
Controlling Media

 Government Media Public

 Freedom of Expression
 Freedom of Speech
 Independent Media
 Truly Independent Media
 Even Independent Media is not Independent
Authoritarian Theory

 According to this theory, mass media is under the direct control of the

State, had to follow its bindings.
 Under an Authoritarian approach in Western Europe, freedom of thought
was jealously guarded by a few people (ruling classes),
 Steps were taken to control the freedom of expression. The result was
advocacy of complete dictatorship. The theory promoted zealous obedience
to a hierarchical superior and reliance on threat and punishment to those
who did not follow the censorship rules or did not respect authority. 
 Censorship of the press was justified on the ground that the State always
took precedence over the individual's right to freedom of expression.
Authoritarian Theory

Features
 Press is totally controlled by the state
 The “Authorities” have centralized powers
 Press will support the Government policies
 Citizens are deprived of their Right of Expression
 Authority or writ of the Government cannot be challenged
 Policy of “All is good”
Authoritarian Theory

 Theory stemmed from the authoritarian philosophy of Plato (407 - 327

B.C), who thought that the State was safe only in the hands of a few
wise men.
 Thomas Hobbes (1588 - 1679), a British academician, argued that the
power to maintain order was sovereign and individual objections were
to be ignored.
 Engel, a German thinker further reinforced the theory by stating that
freedom came into its supreme right only under Authoritarianism.
 The world has been witness to authoritarian means of control over
media by both dictatorial and democratic governments.
Libertarianism or Free Press
Theory

 This movement is based on the right of an individual, and advocates

absence of restraint. 
 Press is free and can practice with out any restrictions
 The basis of this theory dates back to 17th century England when the
printing press made it possible to print several copies of a book or
pamphlet at cheap rates. The State was thought of as a major source of
interference on the rights of an individual and his property.
 Press should always search for the truth and the same will prevail
Libertarianism or Free Press
Theory

Features

 To Inform “about the truth” & to Entertain is the objective of Press

 Press will be purely under the private controlled.
 No Interface from the Government
 People’s right of expression is always welcomed
 Press should be seen as the fourth pillar of the state
 Press should reflect the Public Opinion
Libertarianism or Free Press
Theory

 Advocates of this theory were:

  Lao Tzu, an early 16th century philosopher.
 John Locke of Great Britain in the17th century.
 John Milton, the epic poet ("Aeropagitica") referred to a self righting
process if free expression is permitted "let truth and falsehood
grapple."
 Out of such doctrines came the idea of a "free marketplace of ideas."
George Orwell defined libertarianism as "allowing people to say things
you do not want to hear".
Social Responsibility Theory

 Strong critics of the Free Press Theory were Wilbur Schramm, Siebert
and Theodore Paterson. 
 In their book Four Theories Of Press, they stated "pure libertarianism is
antiquated, outdated and obsolete." They advocated the need for its
replacement by the Social Responsibility theory. 
 This theory can be said to have been initiated in the United States by
the Commission of The Freedom Of Press, 1949. The commission found
that the free market approach to press freedom had only increased the
power of a single class and has not served the interests of the less well-
off classes. The emergence of radio, TV and film suggested the need for
some means of accountability.
Social Responsibility Theory

Features
 The theory advocated some obligation on the part of the media to
society. A judicial mix of self regulation and state regulation and high
professional standards were imperative.
 Press is self-accountable & Answerable to the society
 Press is socially responsible and presents true pictures of all segments
 Promote dialogues, respect others opinions, discourage black mailing
 Government will pave the way of socially responsible press
Social Responsibility Theory

 Social Responsibility theory thus became the modern variation in which

the duty to one's conscience was the primary basis of the right of free
expression.
 Press will take care of its professionals
 Press will promote the esteemed values of the society
 News related to crime will be discouraged and only courts verified
decisions will be published

Soviet Media/Communist Theory

 This theory is derived from the ideologies of Marx and Engel that
 "the ideas of the ruling classes are the ruling ideas".
 It was thought that the entire mass media was saturated with bourgeois
ideology. Lenin thought of private ownership as being incompatible with
freedom of press and that modern technological means of information
must be controlled for enjoying effective freedom of press.
Soviet Media/Communist Theory

Features
 Press is an organ of the state
 Press is a true representative of communism and communist party
 Press will promote the ideology of communism to bring a positive
change
 Press has a very limited role of perform
 Promote the policies of communist party
 Information through an ironic curtain
Soviet Media/Communist Theory

 The theory advocated that the sole purpose of mass media was to
educate the great masses of workers and not to give out information.
The public was encouraged to give feedback as it was the only way the
media would be able to cater to its interests.
 According to Lenin “Press may no be given freedom to work for the
capital system and their representatives”
 No Sensational news
 No Information which does not bring something good to the society
Development Communication
Theory

 The underlying fact behind the genesis of this theory was that
 There can be no development without communication.
 Under the Development communication theory, or Development
Support Communication as it is otherwise called, the media undertook
the role of carrying out positive developmental programmes, accepting
restrictions and instructions from the State.
 The media subordinated themselves to political, economic, social and
cultural needs. Hence the stress on "development communication" and
"development journalism".
Development Communication
Theory

 There was tacit support from the UNESCO for this theory. The weakness
of this theory is that "development" is often equated with government
propaganda.
 This theory is ideal for the developing countries
 Who need to focus on education, health and social sector
 The Positive side and the progressive approached will be encouraged
 No implication on the developed countries
 The social sector development will be multiplied
Islamic concept of
communication

 Islam, being a complete code of life, offers an ideal concept of

communication.
 It stops from ill things and encourages positivity in the society
 It ensures right to every individual and the community of the society
 Islamic concept of communication tells how a society can be
responsible and promote good culture.
 It differentiates good deeds and bad deeds clearly and offers clear facts

Islamic concept of
communication

 First Confirm …… again & again

 Stand against evil
 Do not encourage vulgarity
 Do not trespass or peep into the affairs of others
 Be soft spoken and kind
 Follow ALLAH’s orders as compare to the “People”
 Promote good deeds
Thank you