80 likes | 546 Views
Liberal Pluralism. Media Theory. Liberal Pluarlism. The dominant perspective associated with contemporary capitalism. ‘ Liberal ’ – individual choice and freedom are seen as a crucial human right.
E N D
Liberal Pluralism Media Theory
Liberal Pluarlism • The dominant perspective associated with contemporary capitalism. • ‘Liberal’ – individual choice and freedom are seen as a crucial human right. • ‘Pluralist’ – democratic societies allow a range of political views and opinions and a range of political parties between which the population choose in free elections.
Liberal Pluralism • Liberal pluralists DEFEND the role of the mass media against the charges brought by Marxist critics. • They see the mass media as having a generally positive and beneficial role in contemporary society. • This does NOT mean that they believe the media are beyond criticism. • On the contrary, they would expect the media to be the subject of healthy debate and criticism.
Liberal Pluralists believe… • The media are completely free to express themselves in any way they see fit. • The media (especially the press) serve an important democratic function by monitoring the activities of politicians and powerful institutions. • Even the most powerful can be scrutinised and brought down.
Liberal Pluralists believe… • A democratic society needs an educated, well informed electorate – • the mass media can help ensure that people have a good understanding of the issues when they vote. • The logic of the market place controls quality and value in the mass media just as it does in any other industry. • If we’re not satisfied with a media product, we ‘vote with our wallets’ and spend our money elsewhere. • Media companies are constantly on the lookout for gaps in the market – • as soon as a new area of demand is identified, a new product will be launched to meet that demand.
Liberal Pluralists believe… • The government has the power to intervene to address any problems which might arise in the free market. • They can prevent very powerful companies from wiping out the opposition. • They also invest in public sector companies such as the BBC, therefore priorities can be set and decisions made which are not purely based on making profit.
YOUTUBE • WIKKIPEDIA • Audience participation