BADARAN, SYRAH LOU M.

GRADE 11- SARDONYX

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
Q1-M1. ACTIVITY: NORMATIVE THEORIES

1. IDENTIFY THE 4 NORMATIVE THEORIES OF THE PRESS, GIVE

EXAMPLES(REAL SCENARIO)OF EACH THEORY

In 1956, normative theories were first proposed by Fred Siebert, Theodore

Peterson and Wilbur Schramm in their book called “Four Theories of the
Press”. A Normative theory describes an ideal way for the government,
authority, leader and public to control and operate a media system. These
theories are essentially different from other theories of communication
because no scientific explanation or prediction is provided by normative press
theories. At the same time, these "four press theories" originated from many
sources rather than a single source. Sometimes to develop these normative
theories, media practitioners, social critics and academics also take part. The
connection between the press and the government focuses more on
normative theories than on the press and the audience. These theories are
more concerned about media ownership and who controls the country's press
or media. The Authoritarian Theory, Libertarian Theory, Social Responsibility
Theory, and Soviet Media Theory are the four theories of the Press/Media.
Which I’m going to talk about and give some real examples.

The authoritarian theory is an idea that puts all forms of communication

under the control of a ruling elite or government. This describes a situation
where the government lays down the laws as to what the media can
communicate in the hands of a tyrant or ruling elite who practices dictatorial
powers over the people. The media are just state servants, government
mouthpieces. They are censored or shut down if they are perceived to fail in
that capacity, by showing a degree of editorial independence. Authoritarians
justified their control in this context as a means to protect and preserve a
social order that was divinely approved. In most countries, control was in the
hands of a king who in turn, granted media practitioners royal charters or
licenses. Free speech challenges authority and freedom of speech that
criticizes those in power or implies criticism is considered subversive.
Practitioners could therefore be imprisoned for violating charters or licenses
could be terminated. Therefore, censorship of all types was easily possible. In
arbitrary and erratic ways, authoritarian control has managed to be practiced.
Dictatorship – During the world war II Hitler and Mussolini are the two major
authorities who controlled the press in Germany and Italy. Press was under
the control of the authority and No press can‟t question against or publish
against these two dictators. Few countries blocked wiki leaks website from its
country to maintain the internal security because the wiki leaks are not ready
to compromise with government censorship and releasing classified
documents against the government. These given examples are classifies as
examples of authoritarian theory.
The Libertarian theory or also known as Free Press theory is one of the
“Normative theories of press”. Libertarian theory views that people are more
than enough to find good ideas from bad ideas and to judge them. The theory
states that people are rational and they are led to find out what is good and
bad by their rational thoughts. Even a negative content can give knowledge
and can make better decisions while the situation is worse, the press should
not constrain anything. The libertarian views are precisely opposed to or
contrary to the authoritarian theory, which implies that they are inversely
proportional with each other. As I know what libertarian theory is I have this
thought that it is great and that it should be encouraged. Government,
however, will also have some control over the media, particularly when it
affects the right of others who publish libelous reports or endanger national
security.One of the best example for this is when the Wiki leaks website
published all sorts of confidential or restricted files in public space and
especially classified documents. These articles are providing brief knowledge
about the government and its activities which may helps people to identify
what is happening in the society and its gives great choices to elect a better
president in future.
The theory of social responsibility allows free press without any
censorship, but then at the same time the data of the press should be
discussed in a public panel and any public interference or professional self-
regulation obligations should be accepted by the media or both. .This theory
lies among both authoritarian theory and libertarian theory because on the
one hand, it gives total media freedom, while on the other hand, external
controls. Here, ownership of the press is private. The theory of social
responsibility moves beyond the simple reporting of "objective" (reporting of
facts) to "interpretative" reporting (investigative reporting). The theory relates
to the democratic process and the media are the guardians of that process,
cautious on behalf of the people, with a duty to be fair and honest to all. The
principle balances the demands of freedom with a need of accountability. It
calls for both sides of a case to be mentioned in the public interest, in the
interest of true representation. By setting up a high level of precision, facts,
and information, professionalism was generated in the media.The examples
for this theory are the dissemination of reports of health news in the media
that can be taken as media acting socially responsible. The media gives
information and awareness on health problems. It also provides awareness on
some basic health problems like constipation and how to cure them. And the
media gives information about epidemics and health hazards. Here, acting
responsibly is by not spreading wrong news and panic.
Lastly, the Soviet media theory, which is an imitation of Leninist principles
based on the ideology of Carl Marx and Engel. The Soviet Union broadened
on the theory of authoritarianism and imposed even more press restrictions.
The theory known as the Soviet Communist theory describes a system in
which all aspects of mass media are owned or controlled by the government.
By impacting communist principles and dismissing democratic regimes, the
role of the press is to bring about societal change.In order to create a strong
socialized society as well as providing information, education, entertainment,
motivation and mobilization, government media provide positive ideas. The
theory describes the whole purpose of the mass media to educate the larger
working class or worker masses. Here the public was encouraged to give
feedback that could generate media interest. One of the best example for this
theory is when the Soviet Union totally controlled the media by publishing all
the good stuff about their country and governance while not showing anything
that could make people feel agitated about their own nation. As the finest,
they promoted their own culture and traditions. They also did not give out
news about accidents and catastrophes. On the other hand, in other
democratic countries such as the US, they demonstrated every bad aspect of
culture and social systems. They also said their system of government was
better than that of democracy. That's how the propaganda was given to
everyone. These methods were based solely on their communist ideologies,
fully representing the Communist theory.
Based on the widely accepted fact, media does not operate in isolation or
without interaction with the social world. Based on the widely accepted fact,
media does not operate in isolation or without interaction with the social
world.As per authoritarian theory, without any intervention of any authority or
government, the media controlled and censored by the ministries in the
country but libertarian is completely free, the theory of social responsibility-
press freedom in one hand while on the other hand they controlled the press
by raising questions and Soviet media theory, the entire control of the media
is under the nation's leader.

2. Identify the type of government we have here in the Philippines based

on the FOUR NORMATIVE THEORIES OF THE PRESS.

As I’ve been reading some articles and some definitions that are mainly
about the four normative theories of the press, the Philippines has the type of
government of "Social Responsibility Theory" bases on the normative theories
because the theory of social responsibility lies between both authoritarian
theory and libertarian theory which means it gives total freedom to the media
on the one hand, but on the other hand, external controls. Herein our country,
ownership of the press is private and the objectives of media are stated to
inform, document, analyze, interpret, mediate and mobilize by creating and
finding solutions.