This document discusses media democracy and the professional responsibility model of journalism. It argues that the traditional perspective on the democratic role of media has defects. Specifically, it views the media's role too narrowly by focusing on informing voters rather than relating to organized groups in civil society. It also fails to distinguish information from political representation and context. Finally, it conflates the legal right to publish with actual economic opportunities, failing to consider barriers to entry and limitations on group expression. The professional responsibility model seeks to address these issues by defining journalists' primary duty as serving the public interest rather than private or political interests. However, it remains ambiguous and vulnerable without stronger supportive structures.

1. Professional Responsibility Model &
Defects of Traditional Perspective
Zameer Hassan
M.PHIL Communication Studies
BZU Multan
5/30/2013 1

2. Media Democracy
• Media democracy is a set of ideas advocating
reforming the mass media.
5/30/2013 2

3. A media democracy advocates
• Replacing the current libertarian media model
with one that operates democratically, rather
than for profit.
• Strengthening Public Service Broadcasting
• Use of alternative media into the larger
discourse. Alternative media channels :
Newspapers, Radio, Television, Magazines,
Movies, INTERNET etc
5/30/2013 3

4. A media democracy advocates
• Increasing the role of citizen journalism..
• Turning a passive audience into active
participants.
• Using the mass media to promote democratic
ideals.
5/30/2013 4

5. Classical Liberalism & Modern
Liberalism
Classical Liberalism
• Limited government involvement
• Capitalist society
• Individual property rights
• Individualism
5/30/2013 5

6. Modern Liberalism
• Government involvement
• Cradle to Grave welfare
• Free Market(free market allows any one to
publish an opinion who wishes to.)
• Free trade (WTO)
5/30/2013 6

7. Commission on Freedom of the Press
• Hutchins commission and the Royal
Commission of the Press concluded that
media professionalism was the solution to
shortcoming.
• Journalist were urged to adopt the mental of
professions. From this media would be able to
fulfill its informational role and serve the
public interest.
5/30/2013 7

8. THE HUTCHINS’COMMISSION REPORT
“CODE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY”
• A forum for the exchange of comment and
criticism
• The projection of a representative picture of
the constituent groups in the society
• The presentation and clarification of the goals
and values of the society
5/30/2013 8

9. Professional Responsibility Model
• Professionalism means that journalists first
duty is to serve the public
• Journalist should act as a counterweight to
forces, both internal and external, that
threaten the integrity of media.
• Including the controllers of media
combines, advertisers, publicities and
government.
5/30/2013 9

10. Professional Responsibility Model
• Media professionalism seems to be defining
the role of media in a way that will assist
people to make up their minds for themselves.
• Professionalism is thus seemingly a philosophy
of empowerment rather than control.
5/30/2013 10

11. Professional Responsibility Model
• Professionalism reconcile market flaws with
the traditional conception of the democratic
role of media.
• It asserts journalists commitment to higher
goals- neutrality , detachment, a commitment
to truth.
5/30/2013 11

12. Professional Responsibility Model
• It involves the adoption of certain procedures
for verifying facts, drawing on different
Sources.
• Market pressures to sensationalize and
trivialize the presentation of news could be
offset by commitment to inform
5/30/2013 12

13. Professional Responsibility Model
• Professionalism is not assured with in the
media organization which do not have as their
central goal the realization of professional
norms.
• Professionalism is also vulnerable because it is
not clear on what basis it is justified.
• Journalists have an ambiguous status.
5/30/2013 13

14. Professional Responsibility Model
• In sum ideology of professionalism does not
provide an adequate way of realizing the
democratic role of media.
• Professional commitments need structures to
support them.
• The code of professionalism is itself
ambiguous.
• This ambiguous make an unresolved debate
about the democratic role of media.
5/30/2013 14

15. Defects of
Traditional
Perspective
5/30/2013 15

16. 1st Defect
• The role of media is define in term of briefing the
voter, affording a conduit of communication
between government and the citizen, and
providing the basis on which public opinion is
formed.
• It hark back to an almost pre-industrial conception
of polity.
5/30/2013 16

17. 1st Defect
• In modern liberal democracies, individuals
seek to advance their interests, look for
protection, and try to influence public opinion
and government through collective
organization such as political parties ,trade
unions, business associations and structures
of civil society.
5/30/2013 17

18. 1st Defect
• These are the building blocks of the
contemporary democratic system.
• Traditional liberal theory has nothing to say
about how the media should relate to these
,enhance their democratic performance.
5/30/2013 18

19. 2nd Defect
• It maintain an artificial and justified distinction
between Information and Representation.
• It does this by detaching information from its
political and social context.
• Rival political parties consequently vie with
each other at election time to get
broadcasters to make their issues the
dominant themes of election coverage.
5/30/2013 19

20. 2nd Defect
• Traditionalists argue that the media should
mediate conflict through the determination of
accurate information and contrary opinion.
• In reality a process of Manipulation in which
one class or social coalition is able to
naturalize and universalize its interests
because it dominates the channels of cultural
production.
5/30/2013 20

21. 3rd defect
• It fails to distinguish between the legal right to
publish, and economic opportunity to do so
Reasons
• Limitations on market entry.
• Restrict individual freedom of expression.
• Freedom of group expression.
5/30/2013 21

22. THANKS…….
5/30/2013 22