The interaction of a modern person with the media, as the nature of mass communication channels, has changed significantly with the advent of digitalization. The role of media is being transformed as “people are finding much of their information and other media needs can be met free on the internet” (Vivian 76). Most of the time, I interact with online media, particularly reading publications from The Washington Post, The World Street Journal, or The Economist. Currently, one can also watch popular TV programs or news reports on YouTube or official media sites. However, I also interact daily with traditional media in the form of billboards or advertisements that can be seen on the street. Additionally, I interact with traditional media when I listen to the radio in taxis or advertisements in public places. One should also not forget about cold calls, which all people sometimes receive, although there are much fewer of them.
Four theories of press focus on describing the relationship between the media and government. Authoritarian Theory states that all media are controlled by the ruling elite, bureaucrats, or the state. Thus, the press is used as a tool to preserve ideology and prevent the spread of ideas that threaten the regime through censorship. For example, during the fascist dictatorship in Italy, Mussolini, his government controlled all the media in the country. In contrast to the previous one, Libertarian Theory implies that people themselves can define good and bad information and how to apply it. This model is unlikely to be fully used in any country in the world, as unwanted or potentially harmful content is restricted even on the Internet.
Social Responsibility Theory is a combination of Authoritarian and Libertarian theories, as it allows the publication of any information that is approved by the public. Thus, the media are private, but they perform a number of self-regulatory functions that are aimed at providing the audience with truthful and ethically correct information. This theory is used in particular in the modern USA to create a professional press. Soviet or Communist Theory is similar to the Authoritarian one, but the media are under complete government control for the spread of socialist ideas, as well as the education and entertainment of the working class. This model was used in particular in the Soviet Union under the rule of the Communist Party.
Reference
Vivian, John. Media of Mass Communication. 11th ed., Pearson Education, 2021.