Ict Notes: Media and Government

ICT NOTES
Media and Government

Normative Theories of Press/ Media
- were first proposed by Fred Siebert, Theodore Peterson, and
Wilbur Schramm in their book called "Four Theories of the Press."
- the word "Normative Theory" was pronounced in the USA during the height of the
'cold war' with communism and soviet. Often it is called western theories of mass
media.
- describes an ideal way for a media system to be controlled and operated by the
government, authority, leader, and public.
- theories are different from other communication theories because the press's
normative theories are not providing any scientific explanations or predictions.
- Normative theories focus more on the relationship between the press and the
government than the press and the audience.
The four theories of the Press/Media

 Authoritarian theory
 Libertarian theory
 Social responsibility theory
 Soviet media theory
 Authoritarian Theory
 describes that all forms of communications are under the control of the
governing elite or authorities or influential bureaucrats
 Authoritarians are necessary to control the media to protect and prevent people
from national threats through any form of communication (information or news).
 The authorities have all rights to permit any media and control it by providing a
media license and making certain censorship.
 If any media violate the government policies against license, then the authority
has all right to cancel the license and revoke it
 the government has all the right to restrict any sensitive issues from press to
maintain peace and security.
 Censorship
 is a suppression of any communication that may consider as harmful to the
people, king, government, and nation.
 censorship methods are much familiar in press which against freedom of speech
and freedom of expression.
 censorship helps to protect the rulers and authorities from sensitive issues.
different types of sensors, like:

 Political censor
 Moral censor
 Religious censor
 Military censor
 Corporate sensory
Examples of Authoritarian theory:

 journalists or any media persons should not have any rights to comment,
discriminate, or stand against the government.
 King – King is the authority who has all rights to control the communication,
and no one can question the king.
 Dictatorship – During World War II, Hitler and Mussolini are the two
foremost authorities who controlled the press in Germany and Italy. Press was under
the authority's control, and No press can't question or publish against these two
dictators.
 Libertarian Theory
 is one of the "Normative theories of the press.

 The libertarian theorists are against authoritarian thoughts.
 Liberalism means information is knowledge, and knowledge is power.
 Libertarianism is free from any authority or any control or censorship
 Libertarianism is an idea of individualism and limited government, which is not
harmful to another.
 Libertarian theory sees people are more enough to find and judge good ideas
from the bad.
 theory says people are rational, and their rational thoughts lead them to find
good and bad.
 The press should not restrict anything; even negative content may give
knowledge and can make a better decision during the worst situation.
 libertarian thoughts are exactly against or opposite to the authoritarian
theory, which means the authoritarian theory says, "all forms of communication work
under the control of the government or elite like a king.
 Social Responsibility Theory

 allows free press without any censorship.
 The theory lies between both authoritarian theory and libertarian theory because
it gives total media freedom in one hand but the external controls.
 The real news is complete facts and truthful.
 The theory helped create professionalism in media by setting up a high level of
accuracy, truth, and information.
The press council's commission also included some tasks based on the social
responsibility of media, which are as follows:
1. Formulate the code of conduct for the press.

2. Improve the standards of journalism.
3. Safeguarding the interests of journalism and journalist.
4. Criticize and make some penalty for violating the code of conduct
The theory allows

1. Everyone to say something or express their opinion about the media.
2. Community opinion, Consumer action, and professional ethics.
3. Serious invasion of recognized private rights and vital social interests.
4. Private ownership in media may give better public service unless the government
has to take over
to assure the public to provide better media service.
5. Media must take care of social responsibility, and if they do not, government or
other organizations
will do.
 Soviet Media Theory
is imitative of Leninist principles based on Carl Marx and Engel's ideology.

The theory says the state has absolute power to control any media for the benefits of
people.
The theory describes the whole purpose of the mass media is to educate the greater
masses of the working class or workers.
The public was encouraged to give feedback, which would create interests towards
the media.

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ICT NOTES

Media and Government

The four theories of the Press/Media

different types of sensors, like:

Examples of Authoritarian theory:

 is one of the "Normative theories of the press.

 Social Responsibility Theory

1. Formulate the code of conduct for the press.

The theory allows

is imitative of Leninist principles based on Carl Marx and Engel's ideology.

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