Serving a new democracy: Must the media 'speak softly'? Learning from South Africa
Serving a new democracy: Must the media 'speak softly'? Learning from South Africa
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DOI：
10.1093/ijpor/13.4.355
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发表时间：
2001-12-01
影响因子：
1.8
通讯作者：
Kuper, J
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kuper, A;Kuper, J
在一个从威权主义中脱颖而出的脆弱民主国家，媒体一方面应该强调它们作为监督者的关键作用，另一方面应该强调它们在发展和加强新政府有效统治能力方面的建设性作用，这方面往往存在严重的争议。媒体作为建设性批评者的双重角色中的这种明显的紧张是可以避免的吗？根据南非20年来的大规模调查研究--以及最近的民主和过渡理论以及媒体的规范功能--本文件确定了民主化环境中人口的明确需求，特别是在媒体方面。它通过绘制人们关心的保护权利、个人自治和公民归属感的轴心，描绘了他们的主导“心态”。它确定了目前接触到这些心态群体的媒体类型，并经常为这些群体设定议程。一旦看到了社交和交流环境的细微差别，就会很明显地看到，每个心态群体都需要从他们的媒体中获得非常特殊的平衡--与内容、背景和风格有关。对这些要求作出反应的媒体能够提高个人自由和政治效力。因此，媒体可以被理解和转变，同时有助于关键的独立性和民主的建设性，以及商业上的成功。
In a fragile democracy emerging from authoritarianism, there tend to be serious disputes over whether media should emphasize their critical role as watchdogs, on the one hand, or their constructive role in development and strengthening the new government's ability to rule effectively, on the other. Is this apparent tension within the dual role of the media as a constructive critic avoidable? Drawing on 20 years of large-scale survey research in South Africa-as well as recent theories of democracy and transition, and of the normative function of the media-this paper identifies the express needs of populations in democratizing environments, in respect of their media in particular. It maps the dominant 'mindsets' of the population by charting their concerns across the axes of protective rights, personal autonomy, and civic belonging. And it identifies the kinds of media that presently reach-and often set the agenda for-these mindset groups. Once a nuanced picture of the social and communicative landscape is in view, it becomes apparent that each mindset group requires a very particular balance from their media-pertaining to content, context, and style. Media that are responsive to these requirements are able to enhance both personal freedom and political effectiveness. Thus the media can be understood and transformed in ways that contribute simultaneously to critical independence and democratic constructiveness, as well as to commercial success.