Habermas – Suggested that with the media, individuals could form their own opinions and beleifs instead of being dictated by the government/ people of higher positions. This idea was labelled the ‘Public Sphere’. Global connection.

Quote – ‘A public space between the private domain and the state in which public opinion was formed and ‘popular’ supervision of government was established’

The theory of communative action – marxism and pitfalls of modern world due to capitalism

Public Sphere – free space, free opinion, free press – bourgeouise as it excludes the poor.

Initially, horizontal relationships were created in the public sphere not vertical whereby the higher social staus would have more control. (Coffee Shop Culture – Gossip)

Growing power of the publishing industry (media) 1830

Originally new media tech was good and allowed people to globally comunicate faster. Though as companies nd conglomerates grew, this new media was used as a way to present different ideas and propaganda. e.g Cambridge Analitica ‘stealing’ peoples data

For a democracy to work the public must have knowledge on current events otherwise the government would have more control as the public ‘wouldn’t care’ and therefore would’t vote or influence future ideologies and ideas.

People can be anonyms on the internet and therefore may share more exteme views. – Questionable quality of discussion.

Habermas wrote extensively on the way that information, news and events are processed in the public sphere.

He believes that the mass media has resulted in a reduction in PLURALITY – there are fewer voices discussing the news.

‘The mass media are not the same as any other business or service industry, but carry out tasks for the wider benefit of society’ society has the right to know what is going on.

‘The media can legitimately be held accountable for what they do or not do’

How do you organise it in the public interest?

Public control OR Deregulation = Extension of the free market

The government or state will own all the media as (they know what is good for society) or the Public can own all of the media. – The public interest the majority of people doing well, but who organises this?

James Curran – Due to price increases of some PSBs some citizens are exluded by price