Media Diversity (66)

Democratic societies rely on diversity of viewpoints and ideas for the intelligence, engagement, enthusiasm and wisdom that they need to stay alive. This is particularly important during this current era of globalization and critical public issues that require public engagement. At the same time people all over the world are receiving more and more of their information from the mass media, whose control is becomingly increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few giant corporations. Democratic societies require diversity of opinions and access to information that expose the excesses or other wrongdoings of the powerful. Although government is often negligent in this area, media corporations cannot be allowed to assume too much concentration. As in other realms, power corrupts, and media corporations are of course not exceptions to this rule. Citizens must be vigilant to ensure that a diversity of opinions is available and that citizens have access to the media. Diversity of ownership of media is one policy objective that can be pursued to promote diversity of opinion in the media.

Text: Douglas Schuler