Jugen Habermas – concept of the public sphere

The Public Sphere is where people come to discuss societies problems. Habermas came up with the idea of the public sphere. Through this public discussion, it therefore influences the political action, such as the news. The idea of the public sphere is that it allows people to connect horizontally rather than vertically, and help society change.

James Curran and Jean Seaton – the theory of the liberal free press

• the freedom to publish in the free market ensures that the press reflects a wide range of opinions and interests in society.
• the free market makes the press a representative institution.

Noam Chomsky – the 5 filters that manufacture consent

• ownership of the medium – the dominant mass media outlets are large profit based companies – they must cater to the financial interests of the owners, such as corporations and controlling investors.

• advertising – advertisers are paying for audiences
• links with establishment / sourcing – the establishment manages the media through the third filter.
• flak – if journalist, whistle blowers, sources want to challenge the press, you will be pushed to the margins – when the story is inconvenient for the powers, you get “flak”
• anti – communism / fear ideology – to manufacture consent, you need an enemy: communism, terrorist, emigrants – this helps corral public opinion

• this determines the type of news that is presented in the news media

Louis Althusser – interpellation and ideological state apparatus