Media Regulation

ASSIGNMENT Media Regulation Submitted To: Submitted By: Mr. Santosh K. Pandey Akanksha Singh Assistant Professor BJMC-4B ASCO A7579816006 The `media' whose regulation I am discussing are the public means of mass communication, especially the press, radio and television, but also including film and recorded music as well as a number of newer means of distribution by way of cable, satellite, discs, tapes, etc. Of increasing importance is the internet, which can now be regarded as a `mass medium' in its own right on the grounds of its gradual diffusion to majorities in many countries and its use for a number of public communication functions in the sphere of both entertainment and information. The boundary between public and private communication is an important one from the point of view of regulation, but it is much less easy to identify than in the past, especially in relation to the internet which serves as means of personal communication as well as a means of dissemination and form of publication. To some extent, the same applies to mobile phones. Regulation refers to the whole process of control or guidance, by established rules and procedures, applied by governments and other political and administrative authorities to all kinds of media activities. Thus regulation is always a potential intervention in ongoing activities, usually for some stated “public interest” goal, but also to serve the needs of the market (for instance, by supporting competition) or for reasons of technical efficiency (for instance, setting technical standards). Regulation takes many forms, ranging from clauses in national constitutions and laws to administrative procedures and technical specifications. Regulation can be internal as well as external. In the former case, we are usually speaking of `self-regulation', where internal controls are applied, sometimes in response to public pressure or criticism from outside. The historical background to media regulation The history of media regulation begins with the application of the printing press to book production from the mid-15th century onwards in Western Europe. Initially, printing was simply a more productive alternative to the copying of manuscript texts by hand, which had not been formally regulated, although in practice it took place mainly under the oversight of authorities of church or state. As the printing trade and industry expanded, especially after 1500, both church and state took an increasing interest in the content of what was being printed and published, especially with a view to combating heresy or dissent. This led very widely to the licensing of all printers by the state and/or the requirement for advance approval by church authorities for textsto be published. The export and import of books was also controlled or forbidden. Authors and printers could also be severely punished for publications deemed heretical or treasonable. In more autocratic states, such as the Ottoman Empire and Russia, printing was simply banned for two hundred or more years. Between the 16th and 19th centuries in Western Europe and North America, the history of media regulation was one of struggle against restrictions on publication waged in the name of political freedom and human rights, but also on behalf of the printing trades and industries, including the rights of authors. The freedom to publish was achieved by gradual change in Britain and by revolution in France at the end of the eighteenth century and gradually in territories of the Austrian and Prussian Empires during the nineteenth century. Similar freedoms were never really attained in Russia, even after the Revolution of 1917, nor in the British colonies and Japan until much later in the twentieth century. For most of the world during the modern era, repressive and punitive media regulation in the interest of state power has been the norm. A new dimension to regulation was added by the invention of new media during the nineteenth century, especially the electric telegraph, then the telephone and wireless, which led to public radio broadcasting from 1920 onwards. All these media were closely regulated by national laws that were more or less required by international agreements relating to technical requirements (e.g. radio frequency allocation). They also served other interests of state, including military and economic considerations. Often regulation took the form of control by state bodies or public monopolies. In other cases, such as the United States, supervision was exercised by a powerful governmental body (the Federal Communications Commission). During the early 20th century, the cinema film was also established, typically regulated locally for reasons of safety (fire) and/or content (moral standards). Broadcast media (radio and television) were the most closely regulated of all media nearly everywhere during the twentieth century and they have never achieved the degree of freedom enjoyed by print media. Since about 1980, new forms of distribution by cable and satellite have led to a great expansion of media output and to more relaxed regulatory regimes, especially in relation to content. Although there has been deregulation of media, it is often remarked that, inresponse to the advent of new media and changed conditions, we are really in a period of reregulation where regulatory frameworks are amended to reflect new economic and/or political priorities rather than simply removed. Why are media regulated? There is a contradiction intrinsic to the notion of regulating what are supposed to be the free means of expression and information in a modern society. Regulation by its very nature sets limits to freedom, which is the most basic principle of democratic societies. At the very least, this means that there have to be clear and convincing reasons for regulation, and although we can give general justifications for regulation that help to reconcile it with principles of freedom and democracy, we cannot escape from this underlying tension. There is no single or simple answer to the question `why regulate?' and often the surface reasons given conceal other purposes (especially the interests of the state). Even so, six general reasons for media regulation can be proposed, as follows: The management of what is arguably the key economic resource in the emerging `information society', with a very high dependence on all forms of communication. The protection of public order and support for instruments of government and justice. The protection of individual and sectional rights and interests that might be harmed by unrestricted use of public means of communication. The promotion of the efficiency and development of the communication system, by way of technical standardization, innovation, connectivity and universal provision. The promotion of access, freedom to communicate, diversity and universal provision as well as securing communicative and cultural ends chosen by the people for themselves. Maintaining conditions for effective operation of free markets in media services, especially competition and access, protection of consumers, stimulating innovation and expansion The `public interest' in communication: political, cultural and economic aspects Although the precise meaning of the term can be disputed, we can speak of there being a`public interest' when something at issue is widely considered to be essential to the longer-term welfare of society and its members. Societies differ in how they interpret the specific content of the public interest in respect of communication. Nevertheless, there are many cross-national similarities in the arrangements made to protect, control or encourage communication and in the main reasons for doing so. From early times, physical communications such as roads, bridges, canals and harbours were built and maintained at public expense for the general good. Modern mass media have added a new layer to the communication services, raising new and more complex issues about what is in the public interest. These issues can be considered in terms of three main functions: political; social cultural; and economic. These can be located in a broader framework of policy and regulation as shown in Van Cuilenburg and McQuail model (Van Cuilenburg and McQuail, 2003, p.184). Social-cultural functions of communications media The social and cultural functions of communication relate to the whole range of news, entertainment and arts, amusement, sports coverage and public education. The media now play an essential part in: the expression and continuity of national and cultural identity; the reflection of regional, ethnic and other forms of diversity; and the `binding together', by intercommunication, of society as a whole and of particular communities and constituent elements. Each separate institutional field of social and cultural life (e.g. education, the arts, leisure and sport, religion, science) has extensive internal and external communication. Media Theory, Policy, Regulation and Accountability Regulation of the media normally takes place within a broader framework of principle and policy. We can think in terms of a hierarchy, with three main levels consisting of theory, policy and regulation, in increasing degree of specificity, followed by means of implementation., an overarching idea such as that of freedom of expression or human rights is expressed in broad policies for communications media. Such ideas provide direction and legitimation for proposals and actions to secure the public interest. These policies have then to be implemented in regulations that are applied either formally as legal or administrative rules or informally as voluntary industry and professional self-regulation. The matters regulated or selfregulated are: media structure, conduct and content, plus various technical and organizational matters. Economic functions of communications media The economic value of communication to society is unmistakable and is increasing all the time. The mass media and many related communication activities are often industries in themselves, producing informational products. A large and growing sector of industrial production is devoted to electronics and information technology hardware and software of all kinds, from radio sets to mainframe computers or telephone systems. It is thus not surprising that communications businesses are regulated just like other businesses. Special policies are often formulated to stimulate the application of communication technology in the economy and the growth of the information technology sector. They may also be intended to protect national economic interests - see, for instance, complaints about piracy and arguments about cultural protectionism between the USA and Europe in the context of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Media market regulation also aims at reducing monopoly and stimulating competition for reasons of efficiency. Media policy and policy making Between such general statements of principles and actual regulation we expect to find policies, which are projects of government formulated in particular countries for application to their own media systems. Communication policies are usually formulated as a result of pressures from public opinion or from self-interested groups (e.g. a branch of the media industry). Media policies organize goals and means of action in relation to the media in general, to one media sector or some problematic issue (e.g. media concentration or transnational media flow) and the policy-making process normally involves the expression of conflicting interests. The main struggles over communication policy involve the following oppositions: public versus private interests; economic versus social or cultural interests; international versus national or local interests. The main different levels at which communication policies are formed are the transnational, the national, and the local or regional. Examples of policy actors at the first level would be: UNESCO, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and the European Commission (EC). At the national level there is probably the widest range of actors and interests, including many political bodies, labour unions and media industry interests. At the local or regional level, decisions about access (e.g. to a city cable system) may be in the hands of local government .Political and cultural bodies may also sponsor media provision for special needs. The level at which an issue is formulated largely determines the particular decision forum in which relateddiscussions and decisions take place. Communication policy-making can follow or appeal to a variety of different logics according to which an actor engages in the policy process. A logic in this sense refers to the “perception of the situation and the structure of goals and means...in a given situation” (McQuail and Siune, 1986, p.16). A logic (of policy) can also be considered as a consistent rationale of thinking and action related to particular goals. The most relevant kinds of logic for media policy and regulation are as follows: political (based mainly on partisanship); administrative (reflecting organisational efficiency); commercial (refers to profitability); industrial (related to broader national economic strategies); cultural (depending on a choice of values, for instance relating to language, nation, ethnicity, community, gender); and technical (operating efficiency and technology innovation). These terms reflect the different roles and perspectives which are brought to bear on a particular issue.