Media Pluralism Research Articles

Press Freedom in Romania: Regulation, Realities, and Expectations in the Context of Adopting New European Regulations

Part of the freedom of expression, press freedom is guaranteed in Romania by the fundamental law. After the repeal, in 2012, of the press law adopted during the communist period, no new press law has been adopted. There have been initiatives in this regard, but the opposition from journalists, who feared the introduction of restrictions on press freedom, has been stronger. Although Romanian legislation is, as stated, aligned with European standards, in reality, the freedom of the press in Romania has been subject to some criticism. Reports from international organisations, such as Reporters Without Borders, have highlighted various issues, such as political pressures on journalists, self-censorship in the media, and excessive concentration of ownership in the media industry.The adoption of new European regulations could bring significant changes to the field of press freedom in Romania. Such regulations could impose higher standards for protecting journalists against political pressures and could promote transparency and pluralism in the media. In consequence, the adoption of new European regulations is expected to bring significant benefits for press freedom in Romania, strengthening the role of a free press in democratic society and contributing to the protection of citizens' fundamental rights to information and media pluralism. Keywords: Press freedom; Political pressure on journalists; European regulations; Right to information and media pluralism

Threat or menace to media pluralism? A framework to assess alternative conspiracy media in today’s information landscape

In this article, we examine recent changes in Western media landscapes that witnessed the emergence of alternative conspiracy media critiquing the epistemic hegemony of legacy media, and explore ways to analyze whether they contribute to or hinder democratic discourse. This pressing question depends not only on the empirical manifestations of such media outlets, but also on the ideal conceptualization of media pluralism, which is contingent upon the preferred democratic theory. In this article, we draw from and build upon the work of Daniëlle Raeijmaekers and Pieter Maeseele, and develop a framework to systematically compare media practices against different democratic ideals/theories. We conceptualize a set of criteria that are crucial for the functioning of democracy given each democratic line of thought. Focusing on the three most important contemporary schools – liberal, deliberative, and agonistic – we argue that evaluations of media practices should consider three concepts especially important for media’s functioning in democracy: actor diversity, discursive diversity, and epistemological diversity. We have developed a comparative framework designed for systematic evaluations of media practices, assessing their contribution to media pluralism. This framework may be useful for scholars and media practitioners when assessing the democratic potential of new alternative (conspiracy) media.

Media plurality, independence and Talanoa: An alternative Pacific journalism education model

The shrinking mainstream media plurality in Aotearoa New Zealand provides a context for examining publication of campus-based media where student and faculty editorial staff have successfully established an independent Asia-Pacific digital and print press over the past two decades. New Zealand’s largest city Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) has the largest urban population of Pacific Islanders globally—more than 300,000 people in a total of 1.7 million (Pasifika New Zealand, n.d.), earning the moniker ‘Polynesian capital of the world’. The presenter has had a pioneering role with four university-based journalism publications in the Pacific region as key adviser/publisher in Papua New Guinea (Uni Tavur, 1993-1998); Fiji (Wansolwara, 1998-2002); and Aotearoa/New Zealand (Pacific Scoop, 2009-2015; Asia Pacific Report, 2016 onwards), and also with two journalism school-based publications in Australia (Reportage, 1996, and The Junction, 2018-2020) (Robie, 2018). In early 2021, he was co-founder of the Asia Pacific Media Network | Te Koakoa Incorporated which has emerged as a collective umbrella for academics, student journalists and independent reporters producing innovative publications, including the research journal Pacific Journalism Review and a strengthened Asia Pacific Report, which draw on a cross-disciplinary range of media contributors and scholars in other professions. These contributors are mindful of the challenges of reportage about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article explores an independent journalism model drawing on professional outlets for Asia-Pacific students and how an investigative and storytelling model like ‘Talanoa Journalism’ can be an effective bridge to alternative media careers and addressing ‘blind spots’ in legacy news media.

The impact of lack of journalistic ethics on social media

With the advent of the third millennium, and the growth of rapid developments in modern societies, a new social-media phenomenon emerged in its pattern, represented by the emergence of social networks (Social Media), which captured the interests of broad segments of the public, until today millions of people use social networks for various purposes. For entertainment, education, advertising, communication, publishing, acquiring skills and experiences, publishing notes and pictures, searching for jobs, dating and marriage, and learning many languages and skills. Despite the positive advantages of these means, it is a double-edged sword, as it have a negative side that affects the entire society, if the door is left wide open, as the ethical and behavioral problems that have emerged as a result of the current communication revolution have found echoes. And it affected contemporary societies, so much as there were many positive aspects as data for this revolution, including facilitating communication between people, giving a role to the simple citizen to act as the one in charge of communication, the decline of censorship and restrictions, the prevalence of media pluralism and many other positives, on the other hand, there are negatives that accompanied this rapid growth in the sector. Communication and flags.

Experiences of Peace, Communication and Communication in the Community Radios of Cauca Colombia in Relation to Public Policies for its Strengthening in the Post-Conflict

Objective: To identify keys to sustainability of communication and cultural experiences led by community radio in Cauca, Colombia, and propose recommendations to strengthen these media in the post-conflict. Theoretical Framework: The relationship between communication and culture policies and media diversity is explored, highlighting the role of state institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies. Method: Qualitative approach through documentary analysis, interviews and observation. Results and Discussion: Experiences of Nasa Stereo and Radio Pa'yumat, community radio stations of the Nasa indigenous people, are highlighted, highlighting technical, cultural and security challenges. The role of these media as agents of peace and promoters of indigenous cultural identity in Cauca is discussed, with implications for public policies. Implications of the Research: Underlines the need for policies that promote cultural diversity and media pluralism in post-conflict contexts, guaranteeing equitable access to media, especially for marginalized populations such as indigenous peoples. Originality/Value: The research offers an in-depth look at the crucial role of community radios in peace building in Cauca, Colombia, with relevant findings both academic and those related to public policies that support community media.

Unveiling the veil: A critical analysis of news coverage in Sri Lankan print media

Media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion and discourse, with print media serving as a primary source of news and information worldwide. This research critically analyzes news coverage within the print media landscape of Sri Lanka, a country marked by diverse socio-political complexities. Through in-depth interviews with journalists, editors, media analysts, and academics, the study examines media bias, agenda setting, framing of conflict and ethnic issues, representation of minorities, and the influence of political affiliations and ownership structures. Thematic analysis reveals pervasive biases, selective reporting, and challenges in equitable representation. The findings underscore the pivotal role of the media in shaping public perception and discourse, while highlighting the imperative of upholding journalistic ethics and professionalism. Addressing these challenges necessitates fostering media pluralism, promoting diversity in ownership, and ensuring adherence to ethical standards. Ultimately, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of media dynamics in complex socio-political contexts and underscores the importance of a free, impartial, and responsible media in fostering informed public discourse and democratic values.

Navigating the dynamic terrain: A comprehensive analysis of journalism in Pakistan

The landscape of journalism in Pakistan is a dynamic interplay of historical legacies, political pressures, cultural influences, and technological advancements. From its origins in print media during the colonial era to the digital revolution of the 21st century, Pakistani journalism has navigated through challenges of censorship, political interference, and commercialization while upholding principles of truth and accountability. This research article conducts a comprehensive examination of the current state of news coverage and journalism in Pakistan, delving into its historical evolution, regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and socio-political contexts. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, the study uncovers the pervasive influence of political actors on news coverage, the impact of media ownership concentration on journalistic independence, and the role of social and cultural factors in shaping news discourse. The findings highlight challenges including censorship, intimidation, and commercial imperatives, while also identifying opportunities for innovation, resilience, and advocacy within the media industry. Ultimately, the research underscores the urgent need to safeguard press freedom, promote media pluralism, and uphold ethical journalism to foster a vibrant and democratic media landscape in Pakistan.

Enforcing ethical standards to safeguard the credibility and legitimacy of public media corporations: The role of News Ombudspersons in Spain and France

This study introduces a cross-country comparative analysis of the role of News Ombudsperson in the public media corporations in Spain and France. It investigates the specific media self-regulatory processes established to reduce reputational risks and increase the trust and credibility of the media organisations. It aims to fill in the gaps in prior research by applying a qualitative framework developed using indicators derived from scholarly work on regulation and governance and media management. The variables selected for the analysis are extracted from prior interdisciplinary research and focus on media self-regulatory processes, complaints management mechanisms, election, reporting procedures, checks and balances, roles, visibility and transparency of News Ombudspersons in two countries which represent the Polarised Pluralist media system category. Research questions are raised in relation to the main variables identified for the comparative analysis. Data were collected from multiple publicly available international sources, including public media organizations databases, national media regulatory authorities, and academic studies. Results reveal cross-country variations. The systematic investigation of different forms of self-regulatory procedures might lead to concrete recommendations and best practice models for media organizations beyond the European Union. Further research could address the role of media audiences as relevant stakeholders in media governance processes.

Politicians, Newspapers, and Immigration Referendums: Exploring the Boundaries of Media Effects

ABSTRACT Does acquiring a media company pay off politically? A growing body of literature suggests that politically motivated media owners shape media coverage and that media coverage affects political behavior; however, we know little about the conditionality of such effects. To shed light on this question, I draw on a theory of media power to argue that there are conditions under which we should not expect slanted media to affect political outcomes: if media plurality and voters’ understanding of media owners’ political motives are sufficiently high. I illustrate empirically that such conditions exist by exploiting the sudden takeover of the Swiss regional daily Basler Zeitung by a leading right-wing, anti-immigrant politician. Drawing on quantitative text analysis methods and panel data analyses, I find that the takeover led to a right-wing turn in the newspaper’s immigration coverage and a reduced circulation rate. However, there is no evidence that it meaningfully affected local immigration vote outcomes. These findings highlight that while rich politicians might be able to shape media coverage, there are conditions under which slanted media coverage does not significantly move vote outcomes in the preferred direction.

Assessing media mergers and acquisitions: The power pyramids of regulatory cooperation

Due to the media goods’ dual economic and cultural role, merger and acquisition (M&A) assessments are complex and differ from M&As in other sectors. An additional layer of complexity is added to the assessment when various authorities are involved. An even more complicated matter is when the authorities have different remits. These authorities mostly comprise National Competition Authorities that enforce competition law, focused on economic considerations, and National Regulatory Authorities that enforce and oversee the application of media law, focused not only on setting rules and limitations on the media market but also on considering non-economic elements such as plurality. In certain countries, ministries and government authorities can intervene in these assessments. There have been discussions on the need for cooperation between authorities, however, mostly at the international level. Thus, little is known about the current cooperation procedures at the national level. The article proposes a typology of cooperation at the EU member states level and the United Kingdom and introduces the concept of the ‘power pyramid’ to represent the hierarchical relationships between authorities. Cooperation proves that competition policy and media-specific regulation are intertwined and are complementary. Furthermore, the article shows that having more than one authority assessing media M&As leads to media pluralism being more often explicitly one of the criteria used in the assessments, and thus providing a more holistic approach.

A LETTER FROM SPECIAL EDITION EDITOR IN CHIEF - DR. SHIVA SHANKARAN KR

Dear Readers and Contributors,The Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, Faculty of Science & Humanities, SRM Institute of Science & Technology, Kattankulathur organized a Two- Day National Conference on Journalistic and Creative Freedom: Prospects and Challenges on 21, & 22 September 2023. The conference had eight sessions, including two hybrid mode sessions; the conference has papers across India.The conference included eight different panel experts in the field of our conference themes, such as Press freedom, Media independence, Free speech, Editorial independence, Censorship, Information access, Journalistic ethics, Media pluralism, Artistic expression, Creative autonomy, Freedom of imagination, Intellectual property, Cultural diversity, Creative license, Copyright protection, Artistic integrity, Unrestricted creativity, Online censorship, Social media moderation, Content filtering, Information control, Digital censorship, Content moderation policies, Online speech restrictions, Content removal, Online surveillance. During the research presentation, the experts and participants discussed and cultivated knowledge on the specific topic among the audience.Significantly, the keynote speaker Dr. Debi Chatterjee, Former Professor, Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, emphasized the role of media in safeguarding democracy in a nation. Transparency and accountability are essential for the functioning of a healthy democracy. Investigative journalism exposes corruption, abuse of power, and other threats to democratic principles. The notable speaker has highlighted the important factor that Media plays a fundamental role in providing citizens with accurate and timely information about political events, policies, and issues. She also asked the media students as well as professionals to be torch bearers for media as well as creative freedom. The valedictory speaker Mr. Nandakummar R, Director, Directorate of Communication, SRM Institute of Science and Technology has incited a diverse and pluralistic media landscape ensures that a variety of perspectives and opinions are represented. And Media diversity is crucial for preventing the concentration of power and fostering a more inclusive democracy.The conference research papers had Sixty-Seven research papers have presented during the two days National conference: Forty-Seven (47) papers on the physical mode and twenty (20) on hybrid mode, including special sessions. Few papers related to scope were selected to be published in the UGC Care-Listed Journal "ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts" as a special issue titled "National Conference on Journalistic and Creative Freedom: Prospects and Challenges”. I express my sincere thanks to the publisher of Granthaalayah Publications for their noble partnership with our institution, inspiring and acknowledging researchers.

The Media Pluralism Principle, The Financing of Public Broadcasters, and EU Law

AbstractIn the rise of authoritarian trends in Hungary and in Poland, public broadcasters play a crucial role in supporting the political forces in power. There are many examples which show how public broadcasters influence public opinion by selective coverage and distorted remit. While the problem of media plurality is often commented upon from the perspective of fundamental rights or the rule of law, another relevant perspective is that of internal market and economic law. The article analyses how can one make sure that the use of public funds to support State media does not lead to the distortion of citizens’ rights to be informed. The article argues that the current EU State Aid framework allows the balance of Member States’ prerogatives in respect to media freedom and content with the risk of EU-imposed censure. The article analyses the place of media pluralism in EU law and demonstrates that media pluralism has been integrated within the internal market framework, including an analysis of recent amendments to the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. Then, it focuses on the relationship between media pluralism, public service broadcasting and EU State aid law.

Journalism in Transitional Context: Societal Hostility, Self-Censorship and the Expansion of “One Voice Journalism”

ABSTRACT The transformations in the media and political landscapes in Egypt over the last decade and their implications on media pluralism and freedom of expression are well documented. However, less is known about how Egyptian journalists themselves experience these changes; how their relationships with authorities and ordinary citizens are being redefined, and how journalists’ routines and practices are evolving. Through interviews with twenty Egyptian journalists working for different types of media outlets (government-owned, independent, privately owned, opposition and new start-ups), this article records and analyses journalists’ experiences with both authorities and citizens amid the current transitional period, assessing to what extent these relationships and experiences are impacting journalism practices in Egypt. Findings reveal that journalists perceive a hostile stance from both officials and ordinary citizens towards journalists due to a common belief that journalists played a role in the removal of previous regimes and therefore are seen as “destabilising agents”. This prevents journalists from accessing both information and news sources, forcing journalists to produce unified content and practice self-censorship and “service journalism” as opposed to original and investigative stories. These challenges are discussed in light of research on media and democratic transition.

What is populism anyway? Newspaper representations of populism in Spain and Italy between emptiness and political partisanship

The rise of populism in Europe has been accompanied by increasing use of the term in the media. This has been studied in the European press from the democratic corporatist or liberal media systems, but there is a lack of studies on southern Europe and the polarized pluralist media system. Using a content analysis of newspaper articles, we investigate the journalistic construction of populism in Spain and Italy, two countries belonging to the polarized pluralist media system. Results show that the notion of populism is often negatively connotated but remains quite vague and “empty”. Unlike previous results in northern and western European countries, political partisanship and parallelism play an important role in the use of populism in newspapers.

Media Pluralism in Latvia 2002–2020: Results and Insights From a Quantitative Exploratory Study of Newspapers

Media Pluralism in Latvia 2002–2020: Results and Insights From a Quantitative Exploratory Study of Newspapers

Generative AI, EU Press Publishers' Rights & the Australian News Bargaining Approach: Copyright & Competition Law as Enablers of Media Plurality & Diversity of Opinion

Generative AI, EU Press Publishers' Rights & the Australian News Bargaining Approach: Copyright & Competition Law as Enablers of Media Plurality & Diversity of Opinion

THE GREAT RESET: “COUNTERPOWER” IN THE CONTEXT OF MEDIA CONCENTRATION AND PLATFORM DEPENDENCE

The growing concentration of power and dependence on few platforms in the media sector necessitate regulatory measures to counter the potential threats to media pluralism and editorial independence stemming from this concentration. While some legal initiatives aim to address the imbalanced power dynamics between platforms and news media, such as the efforts at the EU level through the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) to establish a fair playing field in digital markets, it is crucial to empower countervailing forces. This article explores the concept of "counterpower" within the context of media concentration and platform dependence, delving into its theoretical and practical implications. The practical analysis is grounded in 12 semi-structured interviews conducted with news organisations of various sizes in the UK and the Netherlands, revealing a heightened awareness of the necessity to reduce dependences and promote more direct and engaged journalism. The interviews identified specific strategies, albeit with some limitations, highlighting the need for additional support, especially for local news organisations striving for autonomy in reducing dependences. In a nutshell, the article examines the legal prerequisites for news organisations to establish a "counterpower," serving as a complementary piece of the larger puzzle in addressing the broader challenges of media concentration and platform dependence. Finally, alongside the evolving EU regulatory framework, encompassing the DSA, DMA, and EMFA, there is a growing demand for enabling “counterpower” and developing robust media (concentration) laws in Europe, particularly focusing on safeguarding local journalism.

Media representation of immigration in the Chilean written press during 2015–2019

ABSTRACT The current migration flows in Chile have undergone changes and transformations that have impacted the country and its public policies, which, in turn, has echoed in the media. By employing media framing and a longitudinal content analysis of the media corpus, the main objective of this article is to critically scrutinize media frames of immigration in Chilean local written press during 2015–2019. The analysis results demonstrate that the three newspapers represent immigration based on the statistical frames and public policies. The first frame places the phenomenon of immigration quantitatively, stating its existence and importance in terms of supposed massiveness. The second frame allows qualitatively characterizing the phenomenon, establishing it as a problem for the state regarding public policies. The study demonstrates little media pluralism in the corpus. It concludes that the three newspapers follow a similar media agenda on immigration by reproducing official speeches directly related to the dominant political agenda.

Media plurality assessment as a public interest concern in UK merger control

In the UK, following the enactment of the Communications Act 2003, amending the Enterprise Act 2002, the assessment of mergers involving broadcaster and/or newspaper enterprises is subject to – alongside the regular competition standard under the ‘substantial lessening of competition’ (SLC) test – a public interest standard. Under this standard, certain media mergers need to be assessed pursuant to the following considerations: media plurality, broadcasting standard objectives and free expression of opinion grounds. While the statute defines these terms ambiguously, it does provide guidance to the Secretary of State, the competition authority and the courts to decide how the statute is intended to be applied consistently. The paper will analyse how the media plurality test has been applied, some of the considerations of the CMA and OFCOM, and in doing so it will touch on the discretion of the decision making stakeholders.

Moving away from the “Repression-Resistance” Paradigm: The Effects of Civil/Uncivil Disagreements on Political Deliberation in China

This study engages in the academic effort of moving beyond the “repression-resistance” lens by shedding light on the civic function of exposure to cross-cutting arguments and their (in-) civility on individual’s expression willingness and discursive quality in China’s cyberspace. While civility and dissonant-viewpoint exposure are viewed as the hallmark of political deliberation and public sphere in most Western societies, whether their potential could be realised in a censored yet increasingly pluralist media space in China remains a question. Through experiment method (N = 1064), participants were exposed to dissonant (civil/uncivil) viewpoints that were selected, manipulated, and presented as original Weibo posts, regarding a controversial marital policy. Our results illustrate that exposure to civil yet reasoned cross-cutting information significantly provokes individuals’ willingness to engage in a manner of reciprocal civility. Implications are discussed for deliberation studies and internet governance.