Academic Papers on Role of Media in Democracy

~A research project by Governance Innovation Labs

Journalism in Democracies during times of War: Examining the role of Indian and US media — Aradhana Sharma (2010)

• The paper uses case studies from the US and India to illustrate how media operates in these democracies during war. Examples include the US media’s coverage of the Iraq War and India media’s coverage of the Kargil War.
• Media may engage in patriotic self-censorship, influenced by government agendas.
• The relationship between the government and media is symbiotic during war. Governments need the media to build support for the war, while the media needs access to report accurately.
• Journalists may fail to maintain impartiality, indulging in patriotic and simplistic narratives. During the Iraq War, many US media outlets engaged in patriotic journalism, aligning closely with the government’s perspective.
• In both cases the government successfully influenced media coverage to shape public opinion in favor of the war. This was achieved through direct control (censorship, embedding journalists) and indirect means (patriotic appeals, managing access)

The Role of Media in Good Governance: Paid News Culture of Media and the Challenges to Indian Democracy — P. Ashraf (2014)

• The article highlights that the media has evolved from a mission to a profession, and now to a business. Profit has become the ultimate goal of the media industry, that deviates from the media’s fundamental functions.
• Paid news undermines the independence of the media, deceives citizens, and affects the democratic process by blurring the lines between news and advertisements. It is a serious threat to democracy and good governance as it compromises the integrity of the media.
• The paid news phenomenon extends beyond the corruption of individual journalists to media organizations themselves, leading to structured and organized practices that may undermine democracy in India. This practice is prevalent during elections, where candidates use paid news to influence public opinion without declaring expenditures.
• For good governance, it is vital to have free and fair media that operates independently from political and commercial influences. The media should maintain integrity, credibility, and investigate power to effectively promote good governance.
• The media industry needs to introspect whether the practice of paid news benefits society or the media itself. Advertisements should be clearly distinguished from editorial content to maintain media credibility.

Role Of Media In Indian Democratic System — Bina Rai (2015)

• Media promotes democracy in four key ways:

1. Provides a forum for political debate and education
2. Ensures public accountability by scrutinizing government activities and exposing abuses of power
3. Widening access to information and facilitating political participation
4. Expanding citizen participation through new technology, enhancing democratic processes

• Media in India focuses on developmental journalism to address issues like poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment.
• Public service broadcasting by All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan plays a significant role in providing educational programs.
• Media acts as a bridge between the government and the public, shaping public opinion and highlighting important issues. It has brought attention to private issues, making them part of the public discourse and has played a significant role in covering issues like the Mumbai terror attack and the Jessica Lal case.
• But many times the media often focus on negative news, gossip, scandals, and violence, sensationalizing information rather than sensitizing the public. The competitive nature of the media industry leads to a focus on trivial issues, neglecting more significant concerns.
• Mass media supports objective news and informative programs, cultivates alternative media, mobilizes public participation, and multiplies the impact of transition activities.

Role of Media in Strengthening Democracy in India — Priyanka Sarkar (2017)

• The paper explores the dual role of media: as a watchdog ensuring government accountability and as a forum representing citizens’ views.
• A functional democracy depends on media freedom since it influences social, legal, political, economic, and cultural aspects of life. The provision of information about political activity and candidates by the free media increases voting turnout.
• The media discusses social issues (such as healthcare access and gender inequality) and promotes social values. The government advertises initiatives like “Swachh Bharat” and “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” in the media.
• India’s media has come under criticism for putting profit before social duty. Social unrest can result from sensationalism and extensive coverage of delicate stories. To effectively fulfill its duty, the media must uphold ethical standards and professional integrity.
• As an instrument for enforcing laws and a mirror of society, the media is essential to democracy. Notwithstanding obstacles, Indian media has made a substantial contribution to democracy’s ability to function. If the media is to play a bigger role in democracy, it needs to keep improving and addressing its limitations.

The Crucial Role of Media in Strengthening Democracy — Analysis of New Media’s Roles, Responsibilities and Challenges in the World’s Largest Democracy — Aparna Shekhawat (2017)

• Media in India is often referred to as the fourth pillar of democracy, alongside the executive, legislative, and judiciary. It holds the power to critique and monitor the actions of these three branches, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• The digital revolution has significantly impacted the media landscape in India. Public engagement and the dissemination of information have become more democratic as a result of the widespread use of social media and the internet.
• Data show that the number of people using the internet is rapidly rising, underscoring the significance and increased awareness of digital media. For example, India surpassed the United States to become the second-largest internet user base in the world by 2015
• A noteworthy project that aims to improve digital literacy and infrastructure and further integrate digital media into daily life and government is the Digital India Campaign.
• New media, including social networking sites and digital platforms, are the most recent development in the media industry. It provides previously unavailable possibilities for interactive engagement and communication.
• A more liberal democracy is promoted by the equal possibilities for speech and participation that this new media ecosystem offers. It allows for real-time communication and input by bridging the gap between the public and legislators.
• While new media has democratized knowledge, some argue that it also poses a risk of polarization and echo chambers.

Artificial Intelligence in News Media: Current Perceptions and Future Outlook — Mathias-Felipe de-Lima-Santos, and Wilson Ceron (2022)

• The paper discusses several key points about the adoption and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the news media industry.
• The three majors fields of AI used in the news industry are:

1. Machine Learning: Used for boosting public engagement through recommendation engines and for adjusting business strategies to individual readers. It helps in predicting subscription cancellations and building adaptive paywalls
2. Computer Vision: mainly used for investigative reporting and fact checking media content. Its application is limited due to the need for significant technological infrastructure and investment which only large newsrooms can afford.
3. Planning, Scheduling, and Optimization: Governed by automated journalism which often uses simple computational models to fill in template stories

• Various news outlets are using machine learning to enhance business models and revenue streams. Examples include recommendation engines for increasing reader engagement and predictive models for subscription management
• Automated journalism uses computational models for producing basic content, which are easier to deploy and require less effort compared to more complex AI models
• Investigative journalism often employs computer vision for tasks like fact-checking.