MASS COMMUNICATION

MASS COMMUNICATION

NAME: Jamila Okertchiri

INDEX NUMBER: DCSM 2010043

COMPER AND CONTRAST THE LIBERTARIAN THEORY AND THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THEORY

Theories are descriptive statements that attempt to describe reality but there are also normative statements that affirm how things should or ought to be. One can therefore say with regards to the media that the normative theories of the media and for that matter the press are ideal views of how the press or the media is expected to operate and carry out their functions in a given economic and political system.

Wilbur Schramm , Siebert and Peterson in 1956 attempted to clarify the link between the media and the political system in which they operate in their book ‘The four theories of the press’. They identified two basic theories namely the Authoritarian and the Libertarian (Lib) theories and tow variations namely the Social Responsibility Theory (SRT) and the Soviet Communist theories.

The lib theory of the press was propounded as a result of the authoritarian theory’s failure to provide press freedom. The press under the authoritarian theory was subordinate to the vested power and authority of the state in which they operated. They functioned as mouthpiece to publicize government ideologies and actions.

The lib theory therefore in its quest to provide press freedom gave three factors that undermined the authoritarian theory.

-The rise of and the expansion of economic freedom.

- Religious groups attaining freedom from vested power.

-The rise of lib ideas by the 17^th C philosophers like John Milton and John Locke.

These philosophers argue that man is a rational being capable of discerning between truth and falsehood and can therefore chose between better and worse alternative. Rooted in this argument is the belief held by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of America that if man exercised reasoning the majority as a group would make sound decisions even if individual citizens might not.

Jefferson said,” were it left to me to decide whether we should have government without newspaper or newspaper without government, I should not hesitate for a moment to prefer the later but I should mean that every man should revive those papers and be capable of reading them”. All these factors contributed to rise of the Lib theory.

Social Responsibility Theory on the other hand was practiced in America in the 20yh C to inform, entertain and sell but to also raise a conflict to the plane of discussion .It goes from objective reporting to interpretive reporting .It is therefore said to be an outgrown of the lib theory.

Siebert Peterson and Schramm also noted that “freedom of expression under the SRT is not an absolute right. Ones right to free expression must be balanced with the private right of others and against vital social interest.

In view of the fact that the SRT is an outgrown of the Lib and are therefore similar in many, they have their differences.

The Lib theory is of the view that the media or the press has the right to operate and function in any way they chose so long as it respects the equal right of others .The SRT also reaffirm the principles of freedom and independence of the press but added the notion of social responsibility meaning the press are free to operate and function in any way they chose or want but they must do it in the interest of the society and not merely its owners. This is seen through the training and continuing development of professionalism under this theory. An E.g. is the level of professionalism that is being exhibited by the radio and television stations in Ghana in order to advance and nurture balanced and impartial news presentation.

The Lib theory places emphasis on the freedom to publish without prior restrictions from government there by having absolute freedom and independence from government but in as much as the SRT places emphasis on the media being independent from external forces in their publications, it makes it a priority for the media to be responsible towards society in the transmission of information, little wonder this is enshrined in article 2 of the Ghana Journalist Association(GJA) codes of ethics and I quote “in collecting and dissemination of information, the journalist should bear in mind his or her responsibility to the public and the various interest in society.”

The media under the Lib theory was free from any kind of censorship that is political or social regulations in the view of ensuring absolute freedom of the press ,the SRT also enjoyed immunity from censorship but to an extent , the code of conduct or ethics is used as a measuring line for checking the conduct and activities of journalists and media houses under the SRT. It could therefore be said that the media operating under the SRT had a means of censoring their activities and conduct a classical example is the GJA codes of ethics which spells out the dos and don’ts of the state owned media , local freelance journalists and private media in Ghana.

The media is seen as a representative agency “the fourth estate” which oversees the smooth functioning of the state machinery under the Lib theory, here the media plays a representative role in the accumulation dissemination and of public opinion .The SRT also attest to the representative role of the media but the media acts in a more mediating role between the authorities of a given state and its citizens and creating a forum for different view points .An E.g. is the number of press conferences that are held for the media by authorities to further explain an issue and also to clarify certain grey areas of an issue so the media can intern disseminate the truth of an issue to the public and also the various phone-in programs and talk shows that are held on radio and television stations for divergence of views on an issue.

The media under the Lib was allowed to criticize government or political parties any how with out being punished which in view to check on state authorities. The SRT also ensures the right of the media to criticize government or political parties but it was to be done objectively without offending ethnic or religious minorities or creating violence or social disrepute to any individual. In Ghana, the criminal libel law was passed to guard the journalists and the media against criticisms that would defame an individual or bring his or her reputation into disrepute

In conclusion, it could be said that the SRT is an improvement of the Lib theory and therefore have some things in common with the Lib theory but are also slightly different in terms of operation and functioning.

References: The four theories of the press

www.ABER.AC/media(media theories)