Professor Robin MansellLondon School of Economics and

Political Science

LSE Alumnae, New Delhi, July 2009

Media for Democracy and Development

What kind of media, democratisation and development is wanted?

The promise of technological innovation – the economist’s view

“Knowledge has been at the heart of economic growth and the gradual rise in levels of social well-being since time immemorial. The ability invent and innovate, that is to create new knowledge and new ideas that are then embodied in products, processes and organizations, has always served to fuel development”.

(Paul A David and Dominique Foray 2003).

Some see media and development as being about technology only.

We start with Development and Democracy

• Authoritarian democracy• Partial democracy• Liberal representative democracy• Participatory democracy

– Each is context specific and has different implications for the media and for development.

Models of Media and Democratisation

• Media as distribution channels• Media as actors and agents

– Agenda setting– Framing– Supportive or critical

Media and Democratisation

• Transformation from propaganda machine to (pluralistic) democratic forum.

• Delay of media legislation due to overload.• Media policy often one of the most contentious

issues.• Disputes over control of the media (esp.

Broadcasting).• Conflicts over the role of the media in an

emerging democracy.• Growing hostility between government and

media.

Media and Citizen Roles

• Citizen as video reporter• Citizen as part of a TV forum• Citizen as analyst• Citizen as campaigning journalist• Tools:

– SMS and email– Online video– Online databases – Social networking

Media and Political Empowerment

• New voices and protest movements.• New communicative practices.• Greater equality of hubs and spokes of

networks.• Local media content production.• Multiple spheres of influence.

Media and Democratisation:Empowerment or passivity?

Whether networked insurgent communities can change ‘hearts and minds’ is tempered by the way dominant actors manage to create new electronic enclosures to contain these communities.

Manuel Castells, 2009

Media and Development

• Cultural diversity - plurality in all social spheres of activity.

• Governance for inclusion and poverty reduction.

• Education contributing to well-being and choice.

• Dignity, equal and inalienable rights & entitlements.

• Participatory media – what does this really mean?

Media research

Media & Governance

Media &Professional

Education

Media & CulturalDiversity

Research Methods

Human Rights, Media and Communication

Monitoring Media for Development

Access and Literacy

Participatory Media and Communication

Representation by Media

Strategic Media Policies and Action Plans

Conclusions

• No universal model of democracy.• Weak democratic institutions are a threat

to the independence of the media.• Conflictual and irresponsible media can be

a threat to a fragile democracy.• Local forms of journalism emerge.• Weak PSB and commercialisation leads to

the absence of a forum for public debate.