This document discusses the role of media in promoting good governance. It outlines how media can monitor the executive by informing the public about challenges faced by governments, how challenges are being addressed, and how citizens are affected. It also discusses how media can involve citizens in decision making, provide oversight of "austerity" economic measures, and help address citizens' distrust in politics by investigating waste and corruption. The role of social media is also outlined in helping politicians understand public needs and citizens influence change, though it risks oversimplifying complex issues. Overall, the document argues that pluralistic media can act as a mediator between politicians and society by analyzing and explaining political and social issues.

1. The role of media on good
governance
Media as a tool to monitor the
executive
By Maria Baroni

2. 2. Media and public opinion
TVs political debates, Newspapers’ surveys,
Investigations, Web-sites, Blogs, Polls, Facebook,
Twitter, etc.
are means informing the people about:
• the main challenges (economic, social, etc. at
international/european/domestic levels),
• how the government is facing these
challenges,
• how families and citizens are affected by the
situation and react to these measures.

3. 3. Involving citizens to face the crisis
• Local authorities give citizens the opportunity
to take part in the decision making process
(participatory budget – agenda setting; on-line
minutes of the govt meetings);
• Political organisations invite citizens to vote
the best candidate for electoral competition;

4. 4. “Austerity” measures
to face the economic crisis
EU countries are using a mix of:
• European «austerity» meausures (reduce
increasing public budget deficit to prevent
default and support the «EU recovery plan»
(loans to countries in default);
• National measures (increasing taxes) to
finance social security policies and avoid
banks’ shocks .

5. 5. People political distrust
Because of the lasting of the crisis, people distrusts
Europe, political parties and politicians, as they
seem to be unable to deal with urgent problems
and find solutions.
People organise demonstrations and other protests
through social networks, tweets and polls.
Why?
Neither European measures, nor national
measures, succeed in preventing people from
unemployment and increasing poverty.

6. 6. Citizens’ demand for change
People ask:
• to stop increasing taxations;
• to reduce politics’ costs ;
• to support families and SMEs;
• to stop corruption and waste of public money.
The internet is the battle-field of this demande
of change

7. 7. Indipendent monitoring politics
• Insightful information can clarify and explain
citizens about governamental action in the
global political context,
• Investigations may disclose wastes and
corruption and bring politics to reform itself,
• Surveys and reports may help citizens to
better understand the complexity of political
situation.

8. 8. The role of social network
Social network help politicians
• to hear the people’s voice/needs,
• to be closer to a great amount of citizens
(youth) in an informal way,
Social network help people
• to use their right to be involved in the decision
making process,
• to influence the change
The risk: banalisation of complexity

9. 9. The essential role of pluralistic
media to understand society
• Media analyse and explain to citizens political
issues at global, European and domestic level,
• Media analyse and explain to politicians and
citizens, both:
political situations, and
social reactions and behaviuors.
Pluralistic information: a mediator between
politicians and society.

10. 10. EU road-map
for an effective good governance
• Promoting better regulation
• Protecting freedom and pluralism of the
media
• Encouraging Information Society and
expanding participation
• Promoting e-Democracy
• The European Petition Right
• 2013: European Citizenship Year