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Global Journalism and Democracy in the 21st Century: Challenges and Ideals

This lecture examines the impact of globalization on journalism and democracy, focusing on both First and Fourth World contexts. It explores the roles of journalism in society: liberal, social democratic, neoliberal, and participatory, emphasizing how these roles diverge in different global realities. The session will analyze the implications of commercialization, audience fragmentation, and the necessity for equitable information access in modern democracies, while also addressing the challenges faced by marginalized communities. The aim is to highlight journalism's evolving norms and its crucial function in democratic discourse.

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Global Journalism and Democracy in the 21st Century: Challenges and Ideals

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  1. GRAVE NEW WORLD: democratic journalism enters the global 21st centuryhttp://journ.ru.ac.za/staff/guy/research/democracy/graveworld.htm

  2. PART A: INTRO • Later course: • Globalisation impact on audience • Focus on consumption • Wide view of media & culture • This lecture: • Globalisation of journalism practice • Focus on production • Spotlight narrowly upon journalism

  3. Coming up • A. Journalism – what is it? • Four normative roles for democracy • B. First world challenges • C. Fourth world challenges • D. Conclusion

  4. PART B: JOURNALISM • Now a universal definition – • Romantic notion: Superman • Informative format • Democratic role • Reality?: • Paparazzi, celebs, “patriotism”, fluff & puff. • Rwanda radio, Moyo-moying the media. • Ans: see Journ as “normative ideal” • Don’t conflate with real media

  5. Normative roles – have effects • Liberal • Social democratic • Neoliberal • Participatory - Analytically distinct - Practically blurred, compromised

  6. 1. Liberal role • 4th estate • Or: status quo? • Watchdog (for the people)? • Or: guarddog (for the rich)? • ANS: both roles can happen. • ANS: journalism as an ideal–driven practice (despite cynicism) • ANS: don’t conflate jism with media institutions

  7. 2. Social democratic role • Face citizen, rather than state • Educate, uplift, guide • Again: can happen, may not happen

  8. 3. Neoliberal role • Promote pluralism & represent diversity of political views (cf public sphere perspective) • Be a fair referee – ethics of fairness • Sector as a whole: = forum • Explains some democratic journalism.

  9. 4. Participatory role • Reflect grassroots (cf civil society perspective) • Address audience as political actors, not spectators • Everyone is a journalist. • eg. community radio (ghetto-ized?)

  10. jogb: testing 4 “ideal” roles • Give insight into complex & complementary contribution of journalism -> to media … -> to democracy. • On the ground = big differences between First and Fourth Worlds • Globalisation is not homogenised journalism … in practice, or ideals

  11. PART C: FIRST WORLD • Density • Info-society • Corps & commercialisation • Personal material world

  12. 1. Density • Journalism dwarfed and colonized by other content. • Audiences fragmented. • PR industry. • Lesser role and reduced significance for democracy?

  13. 2. Info-society • Info access & equity are now the key democratic issue. • Neoliberalism getting overdone: info overload. • Calls out for more Soc Dem – to guide the citizens

  14. 3. Corps & commerce • Mega-corporations • Need 5th estate (web?) • Need participatory journ • Decline of PBS • Need Soc-Dem to counter.

  15. 4. Personal material world • Me-culture • Global uneven ecology – centre is parochial, insular. • Need to expand: • Range of neoliberalism (incl 3W) • Conscientising soc-dem journalism

  16. Diagnosis • The four roles remain relevant, although also challenged and changed.

  17. PART D: FOURTH WORLD • Much oppression by govts • No Info-overload • Marginal global market • Little commerce • Many collective struggles

  18. Democratic challenge: • Liberal role alive ‘n kickin • Devt role being neglected • Baby ditched with bathwater • Calls for genuine soc-democratic journalism • Pluralism needs neoliberal role

  19. Qualifying the roles • Neoliberal role can be questionable where: • Enables cultural imperialism (although this is not always anti-democratic) • Without soc-dem role, journalism does not reach the poor.

  20. Other roles (& qualifications): • Soc-dem – but it has often been co-opted and abused. • Participatory – by definition, democratic journalists need grassroots allies. • But their reach is still limited, so journalists have interest in deepening media density

  21. Diagnosis • Four roles have relevance in Fourth World democracy • Somewhat different to First World challenges.

  22. PART E: CONCLUSION • Normative ideals retain relevance, but different in First and Fourth Worlds. • Dodge the dollar and the despot’s diktat. • Keep global vision. • Do democratic service • Note tension between journalism-media.

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