Normative Theories of the Media
Journalism in Democratic Societies
A contemporary analysis of mass media and modern democracy
Cloth – $110
978-0-252-03423-7
Paper – $33
978-0-252-07618-3
eBook – $19.95
978-0-252-09083-7
Publication Date
Paperback: 06/16/2009
Cloth: 06/16/2009
Cloth: 06/16/2009
About the Book
Using Fred S. Siebert, Theodore Peterson, and Wilbur Schramm's classic Four Theories of the Press as their point of departure, the authors consider what the role of journalism ought to be in a democratic society. They examine the philosophical underpinnings and political realities of journalism, thereby identifying four distinct yet overlapping roles for the media: "monitorial," "facilitative," "radical," and "collaborative." Ultimately they show how these competing paradigms can affect the laws, policies, and public attitudes of a liberal society.About the Author
Clifford G. Christians is research professor of communications and the director of the Institute of Communications Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Theodore L. Glasser is a professor of communication at Stanford University. Denis McQuail is a professor emeritus of mass communication at the University of Amsterdam. Kaarle Nordenstreng is a professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Tampere, Finland. Robert A. White is a professor of social sciences and communications at St. Augustine University of Tanzania.Reviews
"[The contributors] see four roles for the press: a monitor of events in the world, a facilitator of democratic decision making, a radical communicator free of any restraint, and a collaborator with those in power. Each of these four is explained in detail, with many excellent examples. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice"A deeper and more satisfactory approach to tackling many of the issues first raised in Four Theories [of the Press]."--Australian Journalism Review
Blurbs
"This long-awaited book by a group of the most distinguished scholars of journalism and the media will define the terms of discussion of normative theory for the next generation."--John C. Nerone, coauthor of The Form of News: A History
Awards
• Winner, Mott (Frank Luther) Award, 2010Related Titles
