THE THEORY OF THE LIBERAL FREE PRESS 

• “Ensures that the press reflects a wide range of opinions and interests in society” – Covering all grounds and not discriminating against anything
• “The market based press is independent because it owes allegiance only to the public” – Loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause, have the public’s best interest at heart
• “The press’s autonomy enables it to fearlessly scrutinize government” – Independence or freedom, as of the will or one’s actions
• “The Commission expected to to find that ‘the press as a whole gives an opportunity for all important points of view to be effectively presented in terms of the varying standards of taste’ ” – Not leaving anything out, not exclusive
• “The assumption that ‘anyone’ is free to start a new paper has been an illusion ever since the industrialization of the press” – There isn’t really any ‘freedom’ and there are limitations

THE ROLE OF PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING

• “It wanted a public service orientation, but not the framework of public regulation underpinning it”
• “It favoured a more balanced, responsible approach, but saw merit in the free market tradition of outspoken comment” – Wanted things to be more equal but found something better that they could manipulate
• “The sum total of their efforts was failed anti-monopoly legislation and ineffectual self-regulation”
• “Publishers draped the mantle of freedom around their shoulders, and created doubt and uncertainty about the desirability of reform” – Wanted it in their personal best interest, took advantage of the ‘freedom’
• “Public dissatisfaction with the press, registered periodically in opinion polls, continued to be high”

• Two levels and three political economies of information
• Economy (ownership) and Culture (public circulation of ideas)
• Capitalist media: Big conglomerates, make money, media as a commodity
• Public Service Media: Inform the public, put money back into the business, don’t want to make big profits but want to sustain, in public interest
• Civil Society Media: Independent/niche, specific to something, little groups, e.g Parish newsletter