Global Media Systems

1
Global Media Systems

• Overview
• Barriers

2
Philosophies and Overview

• Four Theories of the Press
• in 1956 Fred Siebert, Theodore Peterson, Wilbur
  Schramm articulated the Four Theories of the
  Press.
• Authoritarian
• Communist
• Libertarian
• Social Responsibility

3
Philosophies and Overview

• Authoritarian
• 16th and 17th century
• authoritarian governments regard mass media as
  subservient
• the govt. is beyond challenge.
• Media owned by ruler, party or private persons.
  e.g. Hitler, Iran

4
Philosophies and Overview

• Communist
• govt. and media systems are partners
• owned by the people, but media controlled by
  communist party govt. (China, Cuba)

5
Philosophies and Overview

• Libertarian-
• late 17th century- philosopher John Locke
• political system encourages free expression
• media decide the content independent of govt.
  control. (USA, Japan)

6
Philosophies and Overview

• Social Responsibility
• Arose in mid-20th century USA out of the
  libertarian tradition.
• Purpose is to mainly inform and educate and to
  help social progress.
• Framework emphasizes responsibility more than the
  unbounded freedom of early libertarianism

7
Barriers to Media Development

• Physical
• earth's topography, geography
• vast distances between population centers
• unavailability of infrastructure roads,
  electricity, gasoline etc
• scarce supply of newsprint

8
Barriers to Media Development

• Social/Psychological
• illiteracy and ignorance (about 70 of the world
  is illiterate)
• lack of knowledge affects capacity to
  communicate, learn and grow- also affects
  attitudes and beliefs, often in negative manner.
  
• multilinguism is also a barrier
• lack of training and professionalism of
  journalists.

9
Barriers to Media Development

• Political/Legal
• tyranny and dictatorship
• threats to life
• no or few legal protection
• World television Standards

10
Barriers to Media Development

• Economic
• poverty and inequality in the allocation of
  world's resources
• high cost of technology. Technology transfer from
  media-rich nations to the 3rd world resulted in
  dumping of old technology