Media in Security and
Governance
The Role of the News Media in
Security Oversight and
Accountability
Definition
Key element in democracies, shape public debate on
security policy & decision-making
A tool for informing and educating the public
Relationship with policy-makers are often complicated.
Government/officials may delay or block the information.
Tensions due to differing institutional cultures and goals
What role do Media play in governance of the security
sector?
What are their relationships with main security
providers?
What are the obstacles to provide effective oversight of
security institutions?
Related Conventions
Sofia Convention (1997)
-15 Articles
- Freedom of the Press
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Geneva Conventions (1949)+Additional
Protocols (1977)
1) Media in Conflict
In times of war/troubles, can be a device in
the hands of totalitarian interests.However,
they can have a positive influence.
End of Cold War: a vacuum in policy
information filled by media.
«CNN Effect» = pressure on decision
makers caused by the growth of real time
news and information
1)a. Negative Effects
«side effects» are:
propaganda
patriotic exhibition
Media in conflict societies often create and
facilitate arguments for conflict
Influence people: eliminate the barrier of
illiteracy, citizens are influenced by
newspapers and thus likely to believe what
they say
Danger of « sensationalising » conflict with
reporting. Ex: The First Iraq War.
Media reinforce elite consensus. Also
seem to exacerbate tensions in certain
situations and areas.
1)b. Positive Effects
Media as a facilitator of positive social
change
Importance of journalism training for
political stability (Ex: Bosnia-Herzegovina
in 2001)
Media as mediator = educates, corrects
misperceptions, better understanding of
the situation
1)c.Media as Mediator
News Media can deliver an essential
requisite of conflict resolution
Provide an outlet, offer solutions and build
confidence
Potential for contributing to conflict
resolution
2. Media and the Police
Many police services established media
relations offices in order to manage relationships
with journalists. Police: provider of public
security & direct effect on people’s safety.
Media scrutiny facilitates police accountability
Spread of mass communication technology has
affected the context of accountability (video
cameras, street controls …)
2)a. Tensed relationships
Journalists have to be discreet while
investigating cases. Irresponsibility can
inflame tensions in a community and
damage police-community relations.
Mutual dependency, difference in values &
roles.
2)b. Effects of Media on Police
Do the media have an effect on the
practices of policing and if so, which one?
Limited impact on police accountability: no
power over police, differ from internal
/external mechanisms
Communicative power, major source of
information, images. Tendency to
exaggerate the danger
Attention to media and how they depict the
police (ineffectiveness, misuse of weapons
when arresting people, corrupted officers)
Police argue that the description of events
is inaccurate,biased, etc..
Can be «catalysts» for reform but
indirectly only
Because of media, police is forced to be
more « forthcoming »
SUMMARY:
Media enable a social construction of policing
which is more complex (good, bad behaviour)
Can lead to political efforts at reform, which then
have a legal and political basis for insisting that
police fix a problem.
Little impact on street officers.
Slight impact on policy accountability (no report
on policy issues)
Lack of direct oversight over police
conduct
Can’t tell the police what to do
Still a free and well-resourced media is
needed to democratic life.
3. Media and Intelligence
What are their relations? What’s the role of
Media?
Intelligence agencies: culture of secrecy =
Low visibility of activities
Media oversight of intelligence agencies is
challenging + No real knowledge on the
subject in the journalism field.
Media can play an important role in monitoring
security & intelligence agencies
Over- reliance on official documents
- Can cause «scandals»: 1974 CIA wrongdoing
- Sources can be manipulated: WMDs case in
2003 (Iraq)
Main challenge for intelligence services is to
maintain secrecy while getting the public support
Ways to enhance relations
Best way to enhance intelligence-media
relationship is to educate the public about
the role of the agencies
Credibility should be built
SUMMARY:
The intelligence sector is the most
challenging of areas for Media oversight
because of secrecy
4. Media and the Military
Military needs Media in order to inform the public
about its role and maintain public support
Media are dependent on the Military for
information
Media/ Military relations differ in 3 situations:
Peacetime
Times of crisis / war
Conduct of operations
4)a. Peacetime Media
Provide feedback to government about
security policy
Help build public support regarding
defence policy
Armed forces have to inform the public on
a regular basis
4)b. Times of War
Filter for communication on military
strategies but restrictions from
governments and armed forces: War
correspondents: often censored
System of «embedding» journalists,
practised in WW II, Vietnam and Gulf War
can improve cooperation but jeopardize
objectivity
4)c. Operations
«Information Operations» (IO) =
information as a weapon in wartime
Dependence of the military upon
communications technology
Truth telling,but sometimes problems too
(Bombing of the Serb TV Channel RTS by
NATO seen as a « crime against freedom
of speech »)
Influence on the way the war is conducted
Risk of confusion
Growing impact of commercialism on the
media
Human Rights Issues
Covering wars is a dangerous business,
threat to physical safety
Limited protection under International
Humanitarian Law = Non-combatants
Threat to right to information (Art.19 of
Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Journalists need to be able to:
Move freely
Report openly
Talk honestly
5. Media and Ethics
Importance of ethics understood by
journalists.
Independence, thoughtfulness,decency
are main principles
The democratic press focuses on freedom,
publicity, debate and human rights.
Difficulty to report the world and keep
ethics at same time
Sofia Convention
Extracts:
« We reiterate that the establishment and
fostering of independent, pluralistic and free
media is essential to the development and
preservation of democracy »
« We consider all forms of censorship (…)
unacceptable»
Art. 2: «All States should provide (….) legal
guarantees of freedom of expression and of
press freedom »
Art. 4: « Free access to information from
public authorities must be granted.No
journalist should be forced to reveal
sources of information »
Art. 9: «(….) The access to and the use of
these new media should be afforded the
same freedom of expression protections
as traditional media »
The Sofia Convention highlights Art. 19 of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(1948), which enshrines the « freedom to
hold opinions without interference and
seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media »
Conclusion
One of the missions of Media is to maintain the
transparency of democratic institutions and to be a
« watchdog ».
Media as « 4th State », 3 others:
Legislative
Judiciary
Executive
The Media and Security Sector are mutually dependent
and must cooperate to educate the public and hold
government to account over security policy