Building free and independent Media

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 659.

Countries around … world that have recently emerged from … authoritarian and …totalitarian rule are discovering that … free political society cannot exist without … free news media. Because democracy involves public debate and open decision-making, … free exchange of ideas, opinions, and information is essential. … Newspapers, …magazines, …radio, and … television serve as both forums for debate and sources of information on which decisions can be based.

Building … open society is never easy. If … world's new democracies are to preserve and extend their newfound freedoms, institutions that reflect and sustain … free communication must be developed in both … public and … private sectors. These new institutions can impose … heavy burden of responsibility both on journalists and on politicians. … distinguished Polish editor /who was formerly with … underground newspaper/ bemoaned … difficulties of … new liberalized system. "What's … problem?" he was asked. "After years of … repression you are now free to publish." "Yes," he responded, "but now we are supposed to find out whether it's true or not."

Journalists, politicians, and officials must learn … difficult lessons of how to interact in… free, open society. Even within long-established democracies this interaction is …struggle. In … emerging democracies, it is both more difficult and more urgent.

… level of freedom and independence of … media depends on three main factors. … first is regulation; … second, … presence of able managers and … ability to be economically viable in … new market; and … third, … degree to which professionalism and responsibility are exercised.