Cmu. 200
What is the role of the mass
media in a democratic
society?
What do we need? want?
Democracy and Media
• Democracy
Demos = people
Kratia = rule
• rule/governance BY the people
depends upon information.
• media facilitate information flow.
Idea of Democracy
1. People are intelligent
2. Generally, people make the right
decisions
3. IF they have the right information
4. Wide array of information needed
5. Therefore: diversity, competing
ideas
6. Truth emerges from debate
How do media support
democracy?
1. Surveillance
What’s 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)
First Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution
• Congress shall make no
law…abridging freedom of speech
and press
• Special protection for the press
• Thus providing rights,
responsibilities
The Role of the Media
1. Media active, not passive
2. Media should take an active role in
interpreting, presenting information
(e.g., what’s important, context, etc.)
3. Press should assure diversity,
competition of ideas, creating or
channeling friction
4. It’s the marketplace of ideas that
allows self government
5. Premise: the more vigorous the
debate, the healthier the society
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
Alternatives to Free Press:
Government Censorship
1. Restrictions on what media can
publish, show
2. Anti-democratic
3. Limits ideas, options
4. Often self serving (for those in power)
Zimbabwe (see readings)
Taliban?
Elsewhere….