New Media Ecosystems; New Media Qualities and Freedom of Speech and Public Sphere

In the era before the development of technology citizens gathered together at particular places such as Coffee shops , Salons, work places etc.  to discuss social and political issues to influence political action. These places were known as public Spheres.   Today, the public Spheres are the internet, newspapers, telephone and other channels tied to new media which form the platform for discussions on social problems and to initiate political action by talk. The protest in Egypt to oust Hosni Mubarak was successful due to the new media being the Public Sphere. 

                                             Social media, cellphone video fuel Arab protests

The Public Spheres are of two categories i.e. The ‘Private Sphere’ which is the civil society and the   ‘Sphere of Public Authority Which is the  Government, Police etc.  With the concept of Public sphere it is possible for the Private Sphere to approach the State and Public Authorities. Access for minority voices and political outsiders are essential features of a successful Public Sphere ( World bank,ComGapp). 

According to CommGapp, Democratic Public Spheres constitutes   5 elements.

1)       Constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties.

 Most countries have accepted basic civil liberties and agreed upon the Universal Declaration on human rights. This covers the areas of freedom of expression, opinion and assembly.  

2)       Free, plural and independent media systems  free from state or corporate control.

This will ensure that the media systems are not biased and facilitate accurate news. 

3)       Access to public information

This ensures transparency and openness in social and political activities.

4)      The existence of a Civil Society

There must be a type of society that supports demands for accountability for actions whether from the State or Society.        

5)       Availability of sites for every day talk about public affairs.

This is for the formation of public opinions. It ensures the freedom to gather at  various places for discussion.

The internet which a popular Public Sphere does not contain all these elements. Salter (2004) argues that the internet is shaped by ‘Forms of Use’ ie how people use it. In some developing countries the access to an internet is limited due economical difficulties.In such cases the internet is only for an exclusive portion of the society.  Then it provides a disorganized spheres which could consist unreasonableness and  excessive opinions  ( Dean 2003). It could create influential identities in the society and undermine the democratic ideal of equality ( Lanat 2008). An example of this situation is the Zaptista rebellion movement in Mexico which used the media to create identities.           

                                        

It is hard to accept the existence of ideal democratic Public Spheres these days, in most countries. Most Government are exerting unreasonable control over the media for their political agendas.                                                      

References

‘ The Public Sphere’, no d., Communication for Governance and Accountability Program, World Bank, Available at < http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXGOVACC/Resources/PubSphereweb.pdf >       Retrieved 12 June 2011

            

Dean, J, 2003, ‘ Why the Net is Not a Public Sphere, Constellations, 10, 1,  Pg  95 – 112

Habermas J 1996,  Between Facts and Norms: Contributions to a Discourse Theory of law and Democracy, Cambridge : Polity Press

Lunat, Z , 2008, The Internet and the Public Sphere: Evidence from Civil Society In Developing Countries, Government Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, Available  at < http://www.ejisdc.org/ojs2/index.php/ejisdc/article/viewFile/501/253  >  Retrieved  12 June 2011

                                   

Salter, L,   2004, ‘ Structure and Forms of Use; A Contribution to understanding the ‘Effects’ of the Internet on Deliberative Democracy, Information, Communication & Society,  7,2, P 185- 206