Exploring the Impracticability of Press Freedom during a Political Transition

Emmanuel Duh

doi:10.29333/ojcmt/2453

Abstract

This article examines the conceptual approaches to press freedom and delineates the impracticability of both the Western libertarian and development models in post-communist Eastern Europe and democratic evolving Third World societies such as those in Africa, where the ubuntu approach is embraced by many of the countries. The article explores the impracticability of the Western libertarian model of press freedom that emphasizes on the absence of government intervention in a media system. In situations where such interventions exits,as is the case with the development and ubuntumodels; I examine how these ideologies areunrealistic in either promoting press freedom or the development goals, which they aim to achieve. The article argues that press freedom in its real sense is impracticable to be achieved anywhere in the world because of some unaddressed lapses under different contexts and circumstances in its theories.

Highlights

It is commonplace for different societies to conceive the notion of press freedom in ways that bodes well with their socio-economic, political and cultural realities
This diversity of perceptions has triggered a multitude of definitions of press freedom; thereby making it difficult and impracticable for a realistic perception of press freedom to be instituted in many countries undergoing political transition
Given the disparities in its conceptual approach in different societies, itcan be stated that the notion of press freedom is a highly ideological and impracticable to achieve

Summary

Introduction

It is commonplace for different societies to conceive the notion of press freedom in ways that bodes well with their socio-economic, political and cultural realities. Submission to the legal status-quo, socio-economic, political and cultural affinities are dimensions that underpin the perception of press freedom, especially in most Third World societies such as those of Africa and the emerging post communist states of Central and Eastern Europe.

Results

Conclusion