Public vs. Private Media: Impacts on Society and Democracy

Private

Belonging to or for the use of a particular person or group; not for public use.

Private

Intended for or involving a particular person.

Private

Owned by individual or independent company rather than by the state.

Public

Connected with ordinary people in society or in general.

Public

Provided esp by the gment for the use of people in general.

Public

Known to people in general.

Public

Open to people in general.

Public Media

Radio, TV, internet whose primary mission is public service.

BBC

Since the 1920s, dominant until late 20th century; now shares with private.

Funding of Public Media

From gments via annual fees through the public eg tv licence and or individual contributions or commercial sources.

Public Media Independence

Isn't controlled financially and editorially by the state or advertising.

Public Media Programming

Programs don't need to be commercially viable eg documentaries, educational programmes.

Public Media Mission

Public service - speaking to and engaging as a citizen.

Public Media Limits

Dependent on short term gment funding so can't make long term plans/commitments.

Underproduction of Quality News

BBC job cut; 1986-7000 to 2007-500 journalists.

Churnalism

Journalists churn out news stories - 48 stories/week (quality drops).

Davies (2009)

Emphasis of preferences of wealthier audiences (and advertisers - private).

State Media

Financial and/or editorial control by a country's gment.

State Media Limits

Press freedom and journalistic objectivity.

Public Sphere

A discursive space for critical deliberations over public issues (Allan 2010).

Public Sphere Origins

Conceptualised by German sociologist and philosopher Jürgen Habermas.

Liberal Theory

Ideal: reflects different public ops, mediates between society and the state.

Role of Mass Media

Contemporary public spheres are largely manufactured by mass media.

Arab Spring

Surveillance, organise protests internally, externally showing the world these protests.

Nicholas Garnham

Capitalism is structurally determining; it shaped what operates within it.

Profit Motive

Encourages companies to maximise audiences producing popular over quality.

Case Study: The Brass Check

Upton Sinclair's first systematic critique of US journalism.

Concentration of Ownership

Example: Elon Musk.

Lawrence Lessig

A way of capitalism creating new customers.

Public Broadcasting Limits

May or may not be synonymous with government controlled broadcasters.