Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute

Press Freedom and Globalisation
Hobbes, John Locke, and David Hume were among those who influenced thinking about
newspapers’ functions and effects in the society. In contemporary France, the great
philosophers Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau gave significant contributions. Those
English and French philosophies merged in the founding of the new American constitution
in 1787 and influenced development of the American concept of democracy, self-image
and perception of the world. Understanding of present American mind of media and
democracy is provided by Democracy and the Media edited by Richard Gunther and
Anthony Mughan. Due to the American hegemon status in forming a global culture
through mass media, Exploring Media Culture by Michael R. Real completes this aspect.
An African perspective is given by Johan Retief in Media Ethics : An Introduction
to Responsible Journalism. The book focuses on concrete ethical cases, and is written by a
South African scholar for African journalism students. Although press freedom is not
discussed in particular, it emerges frequently as an underlying principle.
A number of books discuss global mass media’s role as Africa’s image builder.
Among these is Africa’s Media Image, edited by Beverly G. Hawk. The interaction
between global media and African domestic policy as well as foreign policy are discussed.
The case studies cover a wide time frame from “The Media and the Mau Mau” during
Kenya’s struggle for independence, the Cold War, and even to current covering of
emergencies. Another case study is the book Imaging the Congo : the international
relations of identity, written by Kevin C. Dunn. The book is not only about media, but how
the concept of identity is of growing concern within the field of International Relations. He
labels Congo as ‘symbol of contemporary Africa’. He argues how Western stereotypes and
images of Congo and Congolese through their mass media have been demeaning to the
country. Within the same perspective is Graham Mytton’s book Mass Communication in
Africa. In particular his fourth chapter “Communication and Political Power” describes this
thinking from political circles. He elaborates how strategies on mass media are included in
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