Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute

Press Freedom and Globalisation
In the United States some of these aspects were picked up by the Hutchins
Commission in 1947. It criticised sensational trends, examined the role of the press, and
came up with the concept of ‘social responsibility’. 49 Ideally, media’s social responsibility
in a democracy is to influence economic, political and social outcomes to be the best for
the citizens. 50 The debate on New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO)
can be considered to be a global consequence of this trend of social responsibility. The last
system, capitalism, increased its influence during the last decades. That system influenced
the majority of media to make profit for the owners as the primary purpose, before the
media can fulfill its social purposes. 51
The idea of a democracy is the rule of the people. 52 A condition of such a broad
involvement of people is the need for information. Since the government is supposed to act
in the interests of its citizens, information is a public good that people need in order to
participate in the democratic processes. The free media’s role is to gather and distribute
information to ensure that the elected government works for its people. Open access to
information ensures quality in debates and decision making processes resulting in the best
politics for the public. Such openness and flow of information are essential parts of good
governance. 53 While press freedom ensures independent information, a plurality of media
actors will enhances the possibilities that each voice would have access to the public
sphere even if each single channel is influenced by particular interests as they compete in
the ‘marketplace of ideas’. This concept is based on John Stuart Mill’s philosophy. 54
The information process in a democracy includes many actors beyond a free press.
These may be opposition parties, a myriad of public interest organisations, as well as
49
Ibid., pp. 283-287.
50
Islam, “Into the Looking Glass”, p. 21.
51
Hiebert and Gibbons, Exploring Mass Media for a Changing World, pp. 45-49.
52
Philip’s, Philip’s Encyclopedia, p. 271.
53
Stiglitz, “Transparency in Government”, p. 27-43.
54
Altschull, From Milton to McLuhan, p. 40.
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