CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
It is commonplace for different societies to conceive the notion of
press freedom in ways that bodes well with their socio-economic, political and
cultural realities. This diversity of perceptions has triggered a multitude of
definitions of press freedom; thereby making it difficult and impracticable for
a realistic perception of press freedom to be instituted in many countries
undergoing political transition. Even in some Western societies, there are
disparities in the conceptual approach to press freedom, most commonly on the
issue of the role of the government.
Many communication scholars examine the concept of press freedom
more on the relationship between the government and mass media. On this basis,
the definition of press freedom often tilts towards the libertarian ideology
involving the absence of government intervention and control. This article
establishes itself within the scholarly debate of the controversies of
instituting a common and practicable approach to press freedom that meets the
socioeconomic, cultural and political realities of each society. It also argues
that some forms of government intervention are required to contain the excesses
of a market-oriented liberal press system in societies undergoing political
transition. It harps on the fact that freedom cannot be absolute in becoming an
end in itself, but rather a means in achieving other goals of a society such as
economic, political and cultural development. Consequently, government
interventions depend on the diversities and peculiarities of a society.
In many Third World transition countries of Africa, the governments
do not offer an enabling condition to accommodate the libertarian model of a
free press. This is exemplified by the conceptualization of the ubuntu model
used alongside the development theory to define the meaning and approach to
press freedom. These models, like the libertarian approach are not without
complexities, thus this article offers new insights on its challenges and
weaknesses in allowing for press freedom. It argues the fact that there is no
befitting model of press freedom not saddled by various conditions.
In this article, I present the libertarian model of press freedom
enshrined inthe four theories of the press by Schramm et al., (1956) and trace
the collapse of the socialist ideology and acceptance of the liberal market
oriented model in many of the former communist societies such of Central and
Eastern Europe. I also discuss the media system in Third World societies of
Africa by examining the development and ubuntu models that impact on the
levels of press freedom. It is my purpose to highlight the impracticability of
these conceptual approaches in allowing for an independent and objective press.
The article is structured as follows; after giving an overview of
the complexities associated with the definition of press freedom, I review the
basis of the theoretical models that patterns its direction and understanding.
Next, I provide the challenges affecting press freedom in Western and Third
World societies.
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