We are currently living in a revolution age in terms of communicative abundance. This age is characterized by a variety of media innovations that range from satellite broadcasting, the internet, television, radio, newspapers, and magazines and so on. These new media forms have elicited a lot of fascination as well as excitant from the public. The role of the media has become more and more important in recent days. One of the areas where the influence of the media has been conspicuous is in the agitation of global democracy. Democracy is a common term in the field of global politics. By definition, democracy refers to a type of government where the people are actively involved in the making of decisions and policies. People elect the government through fair and free elections. In such a democratic setting, there is widespread protection of human rights for all citizens. In addition, a democratic state is one where the rules of laws, procedures and policies apply in equal terms to all citizens with no trace of favoritism or discrimination. In recent years, democracy has been gaining pace throughout the world. Formerly autocratic states are slowly moving towards democracy. Democratically advanced countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany have been at the forefront of advocating for global democracy.
As mentioned earlier, democracy is a virtue that is becoming more and more widespread in the world. One of the primary drives of democracy has been the media. One of the elements of democracy is the freedom of expression. The media are a nations’ lifeline. Media provides information on what affects normal person day-to-activities; it keeps the person informed of national and international developments (Dennis and Snyder, 1998). The effect, which the media can have on the public, has been recognized and has never been opposed. When people learn what the government is doing, they can hold it accountable and make changes to the government if need be. Media plays a role in informing people about the things that are going around so that they check on government (Dennis and Snyder, 1998). By writing public opinion, media can promote democracy.
Jurgen Herbamas is a renowned German philosopher and sociologist in the tradition of pragmatism and critical theory. Herbamas is known throughout the world for his theories in the fields of communicative rationality in the public sphere. He is often considered as one of world’s greatest intellectuals. Herbamas has particularly written about the interrelatedness between the media and democracy. According to Herbamas, the public sphere is an active part of the human social life where all citizens meet up and exchange views on important matters that contribute to the common good of the society. This subsequently facilitates public opinion. Herbamas then goes on to discuss about the role of the media in the public sphere and how this media essentially facilitates democracy. He particularly tries to distinguish between the early who tended to highlight political controversy and tries to distinguish the modern media that more often than not commodifies the news. For instance, he refers to the development and emergence of newspapers in the early seventeenth century and states “The press was for the first time established as genuine critical organ of a public engaged in critical political debate: as the fourth state” (Herbamas, 1989). Herbamas assertions are testament of how the media has grown to become a key democracy driver and agitator by providing a sphere in which the public can be informed about key political issues and formulate their opinions.
The media plays an important role in building democracy, and therefore, it is considered the backbone of democracy. Through media, people can get informed of various social, political and economic activities taking place around the world (Meyer and Hinchman, 2002). Media acts like a mirror; it shows people the truth and harsh realities of life. It shows how the world community is striving to control global issues like diseases, pollution and global warming. It informs people on new developments in technology, new discoveries and general state of the world. The harsh realities of life include wars, hunger and terrorism activities. Media can act as international human rights watchdog by informing the world about practice of warlords violating human rights in a war torn countries (Keane, 1991).
Democracy is not simply a virtue but is also a way of life. Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest American presidents called democracy as the “government of the people”, by the people and for the people” (Meyer and Hinchman, 2002). It is essentially a system whereby the sovereignty of the state is placed in people’s hands and where they elect representatives to run and rule the state.
The freedom of expression that is enshrined in many of the world’s constitutions grants the media not only a fundamental role but also a crucial responsibility of representing and expression of the opinion of the public in the form of written or spoken word. Therefore, they media has essentially been made the indispensable instrument or tool for ensuring accountability and openness in the community and society (Meyer and Hinchman, 2002).
The media’s role in the agitation and furtherance of democracy becomes even more significance when one major recognition is made. This is that the current society, an overwhelming majority is made up of silent listeners. Therefore, access to a forum that is constantly reaching others is often viewed as a form of trust on behalf for the society’s prosperity and progress.
The media has developed over years and has become more active with time. Through the media, politicians can be reminded about unfulfilled promises they made during the time of election (Blankson and Murphy, 2007).
Excessive coverage by television channels during election time helps people, especially the illiterate ones to elect the right person to power. This reminder from the media compels politicians to keep their promises in order to remain in power (Keane, 1991).
In addition, the media monitors activities in countries around the world to check on violation of human rights by governments, inform the world about suffering people who need assistance and effect of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. Through the media, people can be aware of what to do and how to respond to natural catastrophes (Dennis and Snyder, 1998).
Television and radios have played a significant role in educating illiterate people in rural areas, by making them informed of the events around the world in their vernacular language. This coverage has enabled them to attract attention of the government, on exploitative malpractices of village elders, moneylenders and uncertified non-government organizations. The media also identifies loopholes in the democratic system; this identification helps the government in taking corrective measures to fill the loopholes. The government can make required changes to the system and adopt one that guarantees accountability, responsive and citizen friendly (Blankson and Murphy, 2007).
International organizations like U.N need accountability on donations they give to a country. Information technology has enabled people access a lot of information. The use of computers has made it easy to get to know the events around the world conveniently. These as enabled journalists carry thorough investigations and reveal rampant corruption in politics and society. This has put high-class corruption masterminds in a tough situation of being caught by the media if they continue with their malpractices in the society (Keane, 1991). Media activities have led to reduced corruption across borders; journalist cooperates with international organizations to monitor business activities that do not promote democracy, and jeopardize economic and political stability across borders. Thanks to technology, journalism has undergone a massive revolution. Without the media, such loopholes would never been identified.
The media is an essential tool for development of democracy since it helps people to secure their rights by releasing information to them and considers their views. Media acts as the public watchdog it ensures that the elected representative keep to their oaths of offices and perform the duties they were assigned by the people who elected them. Good relationship between government and the media is an important element to make democracy fully functional. Collaboration between media and government acts as the bridge, which the public can get to monitor government activities and know how it is doing it. On the other hand, government will be able to know peoples’ views and opinions concerning certain matters. The public can pass their displeasures through media, to get to the attention of government. The government can respond to public grievances by passing information to the public through the media. The linking role of the media plays a vital role to ensure that democracy is in place, by monitoring government activities if it is in line with the constitutions (Media & democracy, 1998).
The role of the media in democracy is to an build environment, which is conducive to democracy, by respecting the rule of law, promote freedom in the process of choosing a leader, ensure social justice and respect for human rights. Another role of the media is to help in the entrenchment of a political practice that allows orderly succession. People have been able to know their basic human rights through media, this is called participatory democracy. This right has enabled people to work, and choose whom to work together. In addition, it has enabled people to participate in economic activities like trade, hence promoting international businesses. Other basic human rights include; political rights, social life rights and right to life.
The media can promote democracy by informing people what is happening around the world. Globalization has a world look like a small village, when an epidemic like war occur in one of the countries the impact can be felt in other countries either directly or indirectly. This information can assist affected countries to employ adjustment mechanism to respond to effects of war; it applies in a neighboring country or business partner country (Barnett, 2003). The media needs to supply true and unbiased information and let the public decide what may be best for them. The media can collect information on public opinion that can influence the government activities; this makes it seen as an essential tool to the driving of a public sphere of open debate. Public sphere constitute the press whereby, public political debate can take place in open. This is because of press freedom, which has developed because of democracy. The media plays a role monitoring trading activities across borders and ensures transparency in all transactions (Barnett, 2003).
There is no democracy without functional and neutral media. Present revolution in media has enabled people to make informed decisions, and this has led to the new era of democracy. Thomas Jefferson was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776) said,” if it were left for me to decide whether we should have government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”. The future of the media is inseparable from local to global democracy expansion and sustainability of media in promoting democracy depend on how media related institution will make it possible
Throughout history, the power possessed by the media in the agitation and furtherance of democracy has been recognized. This is in fact the major reason why some oppressive and autocratic governments in history have tried to control and discredit it (Barnett, 2003). The British Colonization of India is an example of a situation where an autocratic government tries to control the media. In reference to the British Colonization of India, the colonialist government banned the first Indian independent newspaper titled “Hickey’s Bengal Gazette” in 1781. The Governor General named Warren Hastings was afraid that the media may present his oppressive intrigues to the public and this was his major reasoning when banning the paper. In the early 20th Century, there was also widespread control and censorship of the media and its role in the agitation of democracy was almost irrelevant. For example, there was a widespread oppression and suppression of popular opinion in Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. India too exhibited media suppression and censorship in the period between 1977 and 1979 when there was a state of emergency in the country. Currently, some countries still recognize the power of the media in the agitation for democracy, and as result, continue to control and suppress it (Barnett, 2003). Such countries include North Korea, China and a majority of the countries in the Middle East.
However, the role of the media in the advancement of democracy in the public sphere has not been devoid of controversy and criticism. The role and functions of traditional media forms such as newspapers, magazines and television in modern democracy has increasingly been problematic. Some serious questions have been forwarded about the capacity of this traditional media as a site or platform for rational debate and political criticism. There can be no argument about the fact that democracy has risen to become the most dominant ideology or creed of modern politics. Yet, gaps between ideologies and actual practice have become so glaring to the point that serious democracy observers have become increasingly inclined to pose questions about the media and democracy such as “ Is it reasonable to believe that mass communication and media plays a key role in the furtherance of democratic virtues?.
However, in spite of these criticisms and queries, it cannot be d4enied that the media has played a key role I the furtherance of global democracy. Some of the current democratic achievements in the world would not have been achieved without the media. It is therefore impossible to undermine or exaggerate the media’s role on global democracy. The media has an immense power to inspire and influence people minds. Consequently, it shoulders a major responsibility of presenting true values and advocating for a just and democratic society. As a powerful tool of economic progress, moral development and social change, the media should make it its duty to uphold certain principles and values.
References
Haber as, J. (1989). The structural transformation of the public sphere: an inquiry into category of bourgeois society. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
Dennis, E. E., & Snyder, R. W. (1998). Media & democracy. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers.
Blankson, I. A., & Murphy, P. D. (2007). Negotiating democracy: Media transformations in emerging democracies. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Media & democracy. (1998). Strasbourg: Council of Europe Pub.
Barnett, C. (2003). Culture and democracy: Media, space, and representation. Tuscaloosa, Ala: University of Alabama Press.
Meyer, T., & Hinchman, L. P. (2002). Media democracy: How the media colonize politics. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
Keane, J. (1991). The media and democracy. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
