Sociology of communication THE INDEPENDENCE OF MASS MEDIA – AT THE BORDER BETWEEN A STATED GOAL AND REALITY Mihail ORZEAŢĂ1 1Prof, PhD, „Apollonia” University of Iaşi, Romania Corresponding author: Mihail Orzeaţă; e-mail:[email protected] Abstract goals which are in conflict with the legal and Mass media independence is guaranteed by the laws moral norms. and other national and international normative acts in order to ensure freedom of speech and to correctly inform 2. HOW ONE CAN UNDERSTAND AND the public opinion about the relevant aspects of the society. Mass media professionals accepted the conduct rules ASSESS THE FREEDOM OF MASS included in the deontological codes which ensure the MEDIA independence of the means of communication as well as the objectivity, impartiality and accuracy of informing the public opinion. Mass media independence is violated by 2.1. How one should perceive the some politicians, businessmen and owners of mass independence of mass media communication means in order to influence the public opinion and to fulfil their personal goals and interests. Traditionally, mass media is considered Keywords: freedom of press, the journalists’ codes of ethics, independent when it acts according to the self- bias mass media, censor, self-censorship. assumed principles and goals and when there are no limitations to the journalists’ activity of collecting 1. INTRODUCTION data and broadcasting them to the public. There are some authors who distinguish Mass media plays a significant role in the between the independence and neutrality of mass society because it contributes to the preservation media because, they consider that neutrality and development of democracy by ensuring the represents a limitation to independence, even if it right to free speech and to correctly inform the is self-assumed. According to Katrin Voltmer, the public opinion regarding the relevant aspects of same neutrality represents “the highest degree of the society. political independence.” (VOLTMER, 1993) By permanently monitoring the state Normally and in principle, media independence institutions and public figures, the means of mass has to exist not only in respect to the political communication may find out in time and inform forces but also in regard to other forces, such as the public opinion of the slippages committed by any kind of interest groups – political, economic, them from the legal and moral norms. Therefore, ideological, financial, cultural, ecological, they contribute to fixing some problems in the military etc.. The Royal Charter of the BBC 2016, activity of the state’s institutions and to the for example, states that „The BBC must be development of the citizens’ civic spirit. independent in all matters concerning the Fulfilling the self-accepted role by the mass fulfilment of its Mission and the promotion of media professionals assumes that they are free the Public Purposes, particularly as regards from any constraints and restrictions, either editorial and creative decisions, the times and financial or of any other nature. manner in which its output and services are The high influencing capacity of the media supplied, and in the management of its affairs” represents the main reason why some journalists, (BBC, 2016). politicians, businessmen and owners of mass In a similar manner, the status of mass media in communication means break the media’s Norway states that: “NRK (Norsk rikskringkasting) independence in order to fulfil some personal shall have editorial independence. NRK should 304 Volume 8 • Issue 4, October / December 2018 • THE INDEPENDENCE OF MASS MEDIA – AT THE BORDER BETWEEN A STATED GOAL AND REALITY guard its integrity and credibility in order to act From a negative perspective, some journalists freely and independently in relation to persons or think that the phrase “media independence” is groups who for political, ideological, economical utopian and impossible to reach. That is why Kari or other reasons wish to influence the editorial Karppinen and Hallvard Moe conclude by saying content” (NRK, 2015). that “media independence is a concept that does Due to the previously presented conditionings, not have a universal meaning. Instead, it can some authors consider that the independence of signify radically different, and often contradictory, mass media represents a luxury that only the ideals” (KARPPINEN & MOE, 2016). developed countries can afford from an economic point of view since the underdeveloped states as 2.2. The need for mass media independence well as the emerging ones have to have among Mass media has to be independent because their priorities the economic development, the this is the only way in which it can contribute to eradication of poverty, the improvement of the development of the people’s civic spirit or education, social assistance and the ensuring of fight against power abuses and corruption individual and national security (SHANTHI, committed by the state’s institutions or by 2011). This opinion is wrong and counterproductive politicians in public offices. Also, only the in regard to the natural development of the human independent mass media can fully ensure the society towards democracy because it diminishes citizens’ right to free speech and their correct and the role of media in promoting and supporting proper information. some economic and social goals. Therefore, the In the spirit of the aspects mentioned above I media's contribution to the general progress of think that it is important to know Amartya Sen’s society is marginalized and even denied, opinion. He considers that: “A free press and the inclusively by preventing and revealing abuses, practice of democracy contribute greatly to corruption and the political power’s involvement bringing out information that can have an in the editorial policy of the media. enormous impact on policies for famine The appearance and development of the prevention (…) a free press and an active political Internet facilitated interpersonal communication opposition constitute the best early-warning using social networks, built the launching platform system a country threatened by famine could in the virtual space of the bloggers, independent have” (KUMAR, 2016). journalists (the so-called “citizen journalists”) and James Wolfensohn, former president of the of other participants in the data and information World Bank, expresses his sustainment for a free flow. The digital era launched new forms of press saying: “A free press is not a luxury. A free journalism, almost completely reduced their press is at the absolute core of equitable financial dependence in relationship to the development, because if you cannot enfranchise sponsors, but it also altered the meaning of mass poor people, if they do not have a right to media independence. Many papers published so expression, if there is no searchlight on corruption far mention the different perceptions of a number and inequitable practices, you cannot build up of journalists who are not part of the different the public consensus needed to bring about existing associations in the field, but also of some change” (SHANTHI, 2011). of the professionals from the field regarding media independence. Therefore, James Bennett 2.3. Means of assessing mass media (2015, 2) argues, “media independence functions independence as a utopian vision of the media’s role in society for those who regulate it, own it, work within it There were also some attempts to establish some and even study it” (KARPPINEN & MOE, 2016). algorithms and methods to assess the independence Other authors like Kelly McBride and Tom degree of mass communication means. Rosenstiel, for example, have explicitly argued One of these assessment methods applicable for replacing “act independently” with “be to a single mass communication mean is transparent” as a guiding ethical principle of presented by Katrin Voltmer and consists in journalism (MCBRIDE & ROSENSTIEL, 2013). (VOLTMER, 1993): International Journal of Communication Research 305 Mihail ORZEAŢĂ - identifying the formal and informal 3.1. Regulations connections between the media and the political parties; Generally, the legislation establishes: - identifying the support that the media offers a) the boundaries of the professional activity; to some political parties; b) the activities which are considered to be - identifying the opinions and political dangerous and which are therefore orientations of the subscribers, respectively of forbidden; the newspaper readers and of the listeners c) the punishments for those found guilty of and viewers of radio and TV channels and dangerous activities; broadcasting these opinions to the public by d) the institutions which judge and the means of articles, reportages, videos etc. institutions which punish a behaviour which is considered to be unacceptable” Another method used to assess the (RADU, 2015). independence of mass media in a state was proposed by the 2011 World Bank report At an international level the mass media (SHANTHI, 2011) and consists in: regulations derive from The Charter of the United - self-sustainability of the means of Nations and The Universal Declaration of Human communication from a financial point of view; Rights. These documents contain recommendations - transparency of the media market in that and standards which are, subsequently, detailed particular state; in conventions, treaties and agreements which are - the development level of the advertising presented to the states in order to be ratified sector from that particular