MASS MEDIA AND

DEMOCRACY
PRESENTED BY: SHAKEEL ASGHAR KHAN
INTRODUCTION OF MASS MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY
 MASS MEDIA
Sources of information and
news such as newspapers,
magazines, radio and
television, that reach and
influence large numbers of
people.
DEMOCRACY

A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible

members of a state through elected representatives.
THE MEDIA´S ROLE IN A DEMOCRACY

 Serve as a watch dog for democracy

 Report and uncover the truths

 Hold leaders accountable

 The voice of the people - shape public opinion

 Promote debate & discussion

 Promote nation-building
 HABERMAS AND THE
PUBLIC SPHERE

Public Sphere = Public Opinion

“The realm of our social life from which 'Public Opinion Emerge”.

“Civic space in which private citizens could be engaged in critical

political discussion”.
 CONDITIONS FOR PUBLIC SPHERE

Free from the influences of :

The market Place
The State
The Family
 MASS MEDIA AND PUBLIC SPHERE

Habermas believes that the mass media and globalization

has reduced the effectiveness of the public sphere.
 
He believes that the Mass Media has resulted in a
reduction in PLURALITY - there are fewer voices
discussing the news.
MEDIA WATCHDOG

Watchdog journalism is to keep on turning over rocks.

Journalism that gives power to the people.

Watchdog journalism is the journalism that keeps people and

organizations with power accountable for their actions.

It involves criticism of public officials and institutions, checking

their practices for legitimacy, and analyzing their actions.
EXAMPLE OF MEDIA WATCHDOG
One famous example of watchdog journalism is the Washington Post's coverage
of the Watergate scandal, an event in the early 1970 presidential election that
ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

The Washington Post helped uncover the truth behind a break in at the
Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.
 
This coverage by Bob Woodward and Robert Bernstein is seen as a title
example of watchdog journalism. The coverage given to the break in by the
media helped lead to the discovery of the president's involvement.
 Private Watchdog: Rhetoric and Reality

Private media watchdogs are not state owned media, in case, they are not
mainly dependent on government for sponsorship as they overcome finance
via advertisements and stake holders. They are less influenced by the
government that's why they have freedom to work for people to work for
society norms and ethics.
Critical of government is clearly an important aspect of the democratic
functioning of the media.
USA Watergate Cover Up.
Illegal sale of Bofors Guns in Sweden.
Nikiforov exposure of local state corruption in USSR leading to his
murder in 1989.
These are all heroic examples of the way in which media performed a
public service by investigating and stopping malpractice by public officials.
Private Watchdog Rhetoric and Reality

 Contemporary Media are given entertainment role.

 A small portion of news is devoted to critical scrutiny of the state.

 Market based media are not generally independent of all structures of power
both private and public.

 Free market compromises rather than guarantees the editorial integrity of

commercial media.

 Media Conglomerates are in effect independent power centres which use their
political leverage to pursue corporate gain.
 Public Watchdogs: A Reassessment

Ultimate defence of public service broadcasting

autonym is public support.
British experience and arguments by free market
traditionalists.
Famous ‘Death on the Rock’ ITV documentary.
Vigilance of the press can be blunted by the economic
interests and partisan loyalties of its controllers.
Conclusion
 Settling of Accounts

There are in fact countervailing influences in both

public and private media that can prevent their
subordination to the state or private interests. These
countervailing influences are highly developed in some
public broadcasting system.
The complex issues raised by the Public Watchdog
functioning of the media cannot be resolved by a
simple unthinking, catechistic subscription to the free
market. What is needed are practical measures which
will strengthen the critical vigilance of the media
rather than a complacent endorsement of one system.