Do Citizens and Communities Have the News and Information They Need and Want in a Digital Age?
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Penny Gault and Todd Krieble Do Citizens and Communities Have the News and Information they Need and Want in a Digital Age? This article sets out evidence of social and technological prosperity (Acemoglu and Robinson, 2012). Countries that are inclusive trends that challenge traditional notions of civic engagement, economically and democratically thrive particularly New Zealand’s changing demography and media and outperform those that are not. Citizens, communities and businesses depend markets. It is intended to provide insight for future policies on well-functioning public and private institutions in order to make decisions. on civics and media matters. The fair and effective functioning, and legitimacy, of government relies upon The role of civics and media in a democratic have an abundance of news from around citizens having a core level of trust in the society the world at their fingertips, at the same governing institution. News and information assist citizens and time as, in terms of quality, news favours New Zealand consistently ranks communities to participate in democratic immediacy over investigation and analysis. highly on international measures of good processes, develop a sense of connectedness In so far as news and information are the governance. In 2014 New Zealand ranked and attachment to New Zealand, solve fuel for the engine of a well-functioning second on the Transparency International problems, coordinate activities and society, New Zealand faces a fresh set of Corruption Perceptions Index, and ninth establish systems of public accountability. challenges and opportunities if we want on the World Press Freedom Index. In the digital age, news quality and access, to retain our position in the top tier of In 2013 the World Bank rated New and citizen engagement in democratic socially and economically successful Zealand in the 98th percentile for ‘voice processes, are being transformed. societies. and accountability’ in its Worldwide Traditional forms of citizen engagement As Figure 1 shows, the infrastructure Governance Indicators. In the OECD are supplemented by ‘modern’ methods of of a well-informed society includes Better Life Index, New Zealand is ranked participation facilitated by technological capability, content and connection. in the top third of OECD countries media developments. The news media Nations need inclusive economic and for civic engagement (OECD, 2015a): landscape is rapidly evolving. Citizens political institutions for continued eighth of 36 countries for consultation on rule making, and 11th for voter Penny Gault is a policy adviser at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Todd turnout (higher than the average for Krieble is a senior economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. the OECD, which was 68%). This state Policy Quarterly – Volume 12, Issue 2 – May 2016 – Page 31 Do Citizens and Communities Have the News and Information they Need and Want in a Digital Age? Figure 1: Infrastructure of a Well-informed Society Democracy is not a machine that would go of itself, but must be consciously reproduced. Capability abilty to process news There are social and technological forces at and information; work ability to engage A credible argument says it is ‘rational’ civically not to participate in civic life (Krugman, 1997). If civic engagement entails costs to the individual (e.g. acquiring information, attending town meetings), when the benefit to the individual is weakly associated with any one individual’s participation, then Elements of a the individual may decide that it is in well-informed their interest not to participate. The result is a suboptimal outcome for democratic Content society society as a whole. There are social and Connection production and technological changes occurring in New distribution of the ability of Zealand that may influence participation news and communities to further. information that use news and New Zealand fell from second to citizens and information to fourth place in the Corruption Perceptions communities want solve problems Index in 2015. Transparency International and need predicts that further downgrades in New Zealand’s scores are likely ‘if areas such as access to information and governance of the environment fail to keep pace with the of affairs provides tremendous ‘public rapidly evolving media markets present trends in northern European countries’ value’ because it keeps New Zealand an fresh challenges and opportunities (Transparency International New Zealand, attractive place to live, work and visit for citizen participation. As Alexis de 2016). Voter turnout at New Zealand (Moore, 1995).1 As Suzanne Snively, Tocqueville pointed out, each new general elections is in decline, with less Transparency International New Zealand generation is a new people who must than 80% turnout of all enrolled voters chair, argues, ‘a clean reputation makes acquire the knowledge, learn the skills in four of the last five elections, as shown us attractive to do business with and and develop the dispositions or traits in Figure 2. Among those enrolled voters secures qualified migrants and confident of private and public character that who did not vote, the most commonly tourists’ (Transparency International New undergird a constitutional democracy (de cited reason for not voting in 2008 and Zealand, 2016). Tocqueville, 1835). Those dispositions 2011 was disengagement: ‘I didn’t get As for all countries, a changing must be fostered and nurtured by word round to it or I forgot about it/am not demography, new technology and and study and by the power of example. interested’. The distribution of young New Figure 2: Voter turnout of enrolled voters at general elections Zealanders’ civics knowledge and intentions is the widest of 36 countries 100 in the 2008 International Civic and 90 Citizenship Education Study, with some 80 of the highest and lowest scores for civic 70 knowledge (Schulz et al., 2009). Ethnicity, 60 gender and parents’ occupational status 50 have an apparent impact on students’ civics knowledge and intentions (Hipkins (%) 40 30 and Satherley, 2012). Results from the study showed that mean civics knowledge 20 scores for students identifying as European 10 or Asian were considerably higher than 0 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 those of students identifying as Mäori or Year Pasifika; girls generally achieved higher Source: Electoral Commission, December 2014 results than boys; and Mäori and Pasifika Page 32 – Policy Quarterly – Volume 12, Issue 2 – May 2016 Figure 3: 45 Foreign-born population, 2000-01 and 2011-12 – Percentage of total population 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Mexico Romania Turkey Source: Settling In: OECD IndicatorsBulgar of Immigrantia Integration, OECD, 2015 boys’ civics knowledge2011-12 was particularlyJapan low (ibid.). Poland Korea Chile Young people engage differently Slovak Republic Traditional forms of citizen engagement 2000-01 Hungary are now supplemented, or replaced, Lithuania by ‘modern’ methods of participation. Finland Largely facilitated by technological media Greece developments, these methods bring new Czech Republic ways for communities to engage and Denmark Portugal participate. For example, Wellington City Malta Council used Loomio to gather ideas OECD total (34) and feedback from the public for new Italy alcohol policies. Loomio, and similar Croatia technologies such as NationBuilder, can issues independently EfromU tota organisedl (28) help build consensus rather than conflict. politics (2014). As digital natives inIc theela nd Research conducted by Ipsos shows that centre of online networks interactingNetherlands traditional forms of engagement are still with different people all over the world, France United Kingdom utilised, including taking an active role millennials (ranging in age from 18 to 33) manage their engagement with a United States in the community; joining a political Norway diverse range of issues. Although half of party; presenting views to an elected Germany representative; attending a demonstration; US millennials describe themselves as Latvia standing for office; taking an active part political independents, they have strong Spain in a lobby or campaign; boycotting liberal views on many political and social Slovenia products for political or other value-based issues (Pew Research Center, 2014). Estonia reasons; signing a petition. But these are Belgium Sweden supplemented by contemporary forms of AustralianResearch Democracy conducted shows by the agreement Museum of Austria engagement, including using social media; across the generations on the current interested in democracy, but Irparticipateeland contributing to blogs; getting involved state of democracy (Evans, Stoker and very differently from older generations.Canad a in an E-campaign; joining an online Halupka, 2015). Young Australians are Generation Y (born between the early Cyprus advocacy group; and engaging in crowd- Israel 1980s and early 2000s) uses a wider sourced funding for a cause (Evans, Stoker Figure 4: New Zealand range of sources to gather information and Halupka, 2015). Australia about politics and elections than older Switzerland 70 generations, including friends, family and Luxembourg using contemporary tools to engage; Pew Auckland ethnicity 2006-2021 Not only are younger generations social networking sites. Despite a wider research in the United States suggests that 60 breadth of ways to engage, however, younger generations engage with civic Generation Y sees elections