Amplifying Citizens’ Voices in the Face of Media Globalization

Carmen Echazarreta Soler,Albert Costa Marcé

doi:10.5539/ibr.v11n5p135

Abstract

Economic crises have mainly affected the more vulnerable social sectors and created losses of freedom and inequality. Currently, most media are controlled by a relatively small group of companies around the world. In the face of this situation, networked society has accelerated the development of alternative communication models, which act as loudspeakers for citizens’ voices. The aim of this study is to describe the main features of the new forms of citizen expression, communication and cooperation, such as social networks, review sites, citizen journalism and the collaborative economy. It is concluded that in the face of these new challenges it is essential to continue to develop ethical principles of self-regulation to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of new forms of communication on the Net.

Highlights

In the current environment, the economic crisis has fundamentally affected the most vulnerable social sectors, generating unemployment and job insecurity
In the face of this situation, networked society has accelerated the development of alternative communication models, which act as loudspeakers for citizens‟ voices
The aim of this study is to describe the main features of the new forms of citizen expression, communication and cooperation, such as social networks, review sites, citizen journalism and the collaborative economy

Summary

Introduction

The economic crisis has fundamentally affected the most vulnerable social sectors, generating unemployment and job insecurity. With regard to the media, historically they had represented a resource for citizens against the abuse of powers, most media are controlled by a relatively small group of global companies with a significant weight in the world‟s economy. These companies control media groups and often act as the ideological arm of globalization, diminishing popular demands, preventing changes to the social hierarchy and maintaining inequality in the distribution of wealth (Ramonet, 2016). According to Herman and Chomsky (2010), one of the indicators for evaluating democracy in a State is the freedom of its media. The United Nations states: “Freedom of information is a fundamental right and [...] the cornerstone of all freedoms”

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