Et Skridt på Vejen… - Kommunikationsforum

Bilag 3tion at this present moment will have any real use. The decisions, which are taken at this level, do nothave much to do about our personal life and have no influence on it.The third discussion is about the working methods of the media, more precisely a discussion abouthow the traditionally journalistic uses of the news values influence on the citizens’ lack of confidencein the media and the interest taking part in the democratic dialogue.The media focus very much on conflicts and sensations. But many conflicts are being told in a simplifiedblack and white form, which does not provide material for a public dialogue about the problems inour society, but provides material for a feeling of powerlessness in the population. The medias focuson the sensational also creates a picture of a society filled with illness – a distort picture of a society,which the citizens can’t recognize.The Danish citizens wish for the media to give them more insight and a more general view with moredetails about the conflicts in our society, giving the citizens a basis for solving the problems together.The citizens also wish the media to put more focus on the many positive stories in our society.For the media essential news stories come from press releases, new study results and information frompoliticians and experts. In general the Danish citizens miss more broadness in debate and politicalangling. Now it’s only the wise and educated Denmark that dominates. To make the news stories presentfor the population, the media often make use of citizens as victims or as attitude markers. Insteadthey ought to focus on making the journalistic more compelling by combining the stories with thecitizens’ everyday life.The three discussions in my dissertation lead me to the conclusion, stating that if the democratic dialogueshall be able to flourish in the media, the journalists have to make a dialogue possible, where thecitizens feel their work is of any use.The medias function as directors of the society have to change character from a guide with the powerto decide who is allowed to enter the media scene to a guide, which role it is to make sure that everyvoices are listened to. According to public journalism the media have to invite the citizens to be a partof the debate and make sure that the citizens feel they are spoke to and feel that the decision-makersactually listen to their attitudes and ideas.Public journalism would like to add some additional responsibilities to the traditional watchdog role ofthe media. Public journalism would like the media to act as guide dogs – a journalism which bringspeople news and information and at the same time helps them do their job as citizens. A journalismwhich challenges people to get involved, get engaged and take ownership of problems. It’s about coveringconsensus as well as conflict and success stories as well as failures. Solution stories that mayhelp the citizens deal with difficult issues.The advocates of public journalism would like the media to cover the real information needs of therecipients instead of focusing on the sensational and entertaining stories and they would like the mediato take their point of departure in the problems citizens struggle with in their every day life. This givesa much better possibility to catch the populations’ interest in the social debate and engage them in thedebate as active citizens instead of passive consumers.94