LATEST THEORY ON

INFORMATION & MEDIA

Media Theories

Media theories refers to the complex of social-political-philosophical principles which organizes

the ideas about the relationship between media and society.

Normative theory is within the media theory. It is concerned with what the media ought to be
doing in society rather then what they actually do.

Authoritarian Theory

Authoritarian theory describes that all forms of communication are under the control of
governing elite or authorities or influential bureaucrats. The authorities have all the rights to permit
any media and control it by providing license to the media and make certain censorship.

Censorship is a suppression of any communication which may consider as harmful to the

people.
Censorship helps protect the rulers and authorities from sensitive issues.
Libertarian Theory

Libertarian theory sees people are more enough to find the judge good ideas from bad. The press should not
restrict anything even a negative content may give knowledge and can make better decision at the same time as worst
situation.
The libertarian theory are exactly against to the authoritarian theory which means that the authoritarian theory
says that all forms of communication works under the control of the government.
Libertarian theory or free press theory says that media is given the absolute freedom to publish anything at any
time and acts as a watchdog.

The strengths of the Libertarian Theory are the following:

◦ Media can give true information without any control
◦ There is no censorship
◦ All individuals can express their opinions in the media openly
◦ It encourages healthy competition among the thoughts and ideas
◦ Every work will be transparent to all
◦ It checks the government and prevents corruption
◦ It functions with democracy
Social Responsibility Theory
Social responsibility theory is a modified version of free press theory placing greater emphasis upon the
accountability of media to society. The theory lies between both authoritarian and libertarian theory.
The responsibility theory lies between both authoritarian and libertarian theory because it gives total media
freedom in one hand and the external control in the other hand.

Development Media Theory

Development media theory is applied in countries at low levels of economic development and with limited
resources.

Alternative Media Theory

Alternative media theory favors media that are close to the grass-roots of society, small-scale, participative, active,
and non-commercial.
The role of the community-based media is to speak for and to the social out-groups and to keep radical criticism
alive.
Soviet Media Theory
The soviet media theory says that the state have absolute power to private ownership of the press and other
media.
the difference between the Authoritarian and the communist theory is that in authoritarian, there is private
ownership of media, but in soviet media theory, there private ownership of media is not allowed.
In the soviet media was taken as government instrument and was used to transmit propaganda and for
transmission of social policies.

On Media Theories
Hallin and Mancini said that we should look more closely at actual arrangements connecting mmedia and society.
They, then propose a typology of relations between the media and political system based on comparative examination of
national societies.
◦ The liberal model is a model in which media operates according to the principles of the free market; without formal
connections between media and politics and with minimal state intervention.

◦ The democratic corporatist model is a model in whish commercial media coexist with media tied to organized social
and political groups and the state has a small but active role.

◦ The Polarized Pluralist model is a model wherein the media is integrated into party politics with a weaker commercial
media and strong role for the state.