Media, Democracy and the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media, Democracy and the Internet - Essay Example here(predicate) the power to territory is vested in the people, which is exercised through elected agents. Abraham Lincoln, calls democracy as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.Media also theatrical roles a similar role in a democratic state. If democracy gives the power, media helps to strengthen it through unrestricted spread of discipline. It gives information, knowledge, forums of communication and debate necessary to govern their own lives effectively.(McChesney 2000) Thus media emerges a true watch dog, unceasingly monitoring the democratic system for its flaws and giving the necessary feedbacks to people in power and people who want to be in power. (McChesney 2000)Media can fulfill these tasks only it served the democratic system and the people who hold its key with fair and uncensored information accessible for every one. Only then it can build a self regime society of political equals (McChe sney 2000) strengthening the pillars of democracy and there by building its own credibility.Mass media has been regarded as the champion of globe cause and history is replete with examples how it has fought along with the people in changing the public policy in both democratic and authoritarian regimes. With the emergence of the spheric media, the surveillancei function of the mass media has create more intensive and the watch dog was given a new responsibility to watch the square world for the possible violations of democratic ideals and human rights. It started with a total support for Corazon Aquinos campaigns in the late seventies in Philippines and still going strong with reports to garner public support against Irans dubious nuclear programme. Although the global television has changed the perspective of the mass media taking it from the locale to global, media still focuses the domestic front, influencing the public policies through agenda setting. Here the media has furt her responsibilities like providing the citizen the means to understand the substance of policies at any particular time. Secondly they should run an amplifying function by giving publicity to the actions and views of important individuals. Thirdly they should issue the common fund of information necessary for the formation of public opinion and the conduct of the political process. Further the mass media should attempt to provide standards by which political actions can be judged, the common frame of reference which must unite rulers and the command in a democratic political structure. The media therefore could help considerably in public friendship in national and regional policies. Internet as a form of political protestThe mesh pioneered the ICT and spearheaded a revolution just like the invention of the printing press. If printing empowered people with knowledge, the network gave them digital liberation. In the information age, the critical organizational form is network ing. The most critical distinction in this organizational logic is to be or not to be -- in the network. Be in the network, and you can share and, over time, increase your chances. Be out of the network, or become switched off, and your chances vanish since everything that counts is organized around a world wide web of interacting networks. (Manuel Castells 1998) The freedom to interact directly and instantaneously, end to copyright