Cmu. 200

1
Cmu. 200

• What is the role of the mass media in a
  democratic society?
• What do we need? want?

2
Democracy and Media

• Democracy
• Demos people
• Kratia rule
• rule/governance BY the people depends upon
  information.
• media facilitate information flow.

3
Idea of Democracy

• People are intelligent
• Generally, people make the right decisions
• IF they have the right information
• Wide array of information needed
• Therefore diversity, competing ideas
• Truth emerges from debate

4
How do media support democracy?

• Surveillance
• Whats going on because we cannot experience
  everything of importance to us.
• Examples of media surveillance?
• 2. Interpretation and Context
• Not just facts but a way to understand facts
  (through context, explanation, focus)

5
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

• Congress shall make no lawabridging freedom of
  speech and press
• Special protection for the press
• Thus providing rights, responsibilities

6
The Role of the Media

1. Media active, not passive
2. Media should take an active role in
   interpreting, presenting information (e.g.,
   whats important, context, etc.)
3. Press should assure diversity, competition of
   ideas, creating or channeling friction
4. Its the marketplace of ideas that allows self
   government
5. Premise the more vigorous the debate, the
   healthier the society

7
The Role of the Media, continued

• 6. Media are a watchdog on government
• 7. Error inevitable in debate
• So must tolerate some error
• 8. Tradeoff error better than repression
• 9. Freedom of press for the nation not just for
  the media
• 10. Safety Valve Theory

8
Alternatives to Free Press Government Censorship

• Restrictions on what media can publish, show
• Anti-democratic
• Limits ideas, options
• Often self serving (for those in power)
• Zimbabwe (see readings)
• Taliban?
• Elsewhere.