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The public sphere as a concept always has to take into account the freedom enjoyed by a people such that they can share their ideas or thoughts and learn or access other views (Gastil 2007, 18). This process necessarily also consists of or results in the formation of public opinion (Dahlgren 2005, 148).
According to Dahlgren (2005, 148) the public sphere consists of and is guaranteed by three dimensions i.e. “structure, representation and interaction”.
The impact of the net on the public sphere is a given reality and can not be the question. Dahlgren (2005, 149) asserts that with the coming of the Net, “the sprawling character of the public sphere becomes all the more accentuated”.
One of the challenges or problems identified with the traditional media is the shift from serious deliberation on political matters to more focus on entertainment and life style issues. This trend is commonly known as Tabloidization.
Tabloidization and other problems associated with traditional media are as a result of cutting edge competition amongst media houses. According to Harsin (2006, 89), “corporate mergers have increased the pressure towards speed and expanding viewer – and readership, and the demand for ever increasing profit”.
As competition between media houses increased, another shift towards combining serious information with entertainment happened. For example, a given serious message that needs public attention is programmed to run as an interlude between episodes in a popular soap.
Due to the strong control many governments and elites had over traditional media, the media was largely a propaganda tool. Propaganda was possible because access and interaction between consumers was not possible.
For example in the Arab world, due to state control over traditional media, Rinnawi (2002, 2) states that “there are hardly any opportunities for the participation of the media consumers, the public or for any deviation from the mainstream ideas or opinions held by the ruling elite”.
The United States of America is the beacon of democracy in the world; however, its traditional media does not escape from being used as a propaganda tool. Harsin (2002, 2) states, “The strategic use and (sometimes) careless circulation of rumor characterizes the current climate of American news media and politics”.
The manipulation or distortion of truth or reduction of public communication to mere appeals to emotion is undemocratic (Harsin, 2006, 86). As Rinnawi (2002, 2) elaborates, traditional media in Arab countries aim at perpetuated an ethno-national identity as opposed to providing progressive communication.
The governments use the media to promote its view points and criticism that only serves to cement or give credence to government view points (Rinnawi 2002, 3). ). In such like a scenario, the public sphere is reduced or is virtually non-existent.
The New Media was acclaimed by many as being the solution to the challenges or problems of the traditional media. The internet has in an enormous way opened new freedoms to the general public (Rinnawi, 1). Through the internet, dissenting opinions find a place or a channel.
Blogs have become a sort of “alternative Citizen Journalism” where individuals keep the rest informed on given issues (Cammaerts 2008, 1). In the case of the Arab world, citizens are able to share about issues and openly criticize the regimes; a taboo in the traditional media channels.
The internet, therefore, it has been proved, creates a new public sphere (Rinnawi 2002, 4). This new public sphere is more multi-faceted than one relying on traditional media (Dahlgren, 2005, 153).
Although there are those who think that the impact of the internet on democracy is minimal, the rise of such phenomenon as e-democracy, e-government and e-politics in general is a good indicator of the transformational properties of the Net (Dahlgren 2005, 155).
As Rinnawi (2003, 20) found out from his research, “a huge gap remains in the level of criticism towards the Arab regime and the other elites in particular, existing in the internet but almost non-existent in the Diaspora Media.”
This assertion goes along way in asserting the revolutionary role of the internet. The assertion by Rinnawi is confirmed by Cammaerts (2008, 3) when he says that, “these media offer citizens new opportunities to engage or participate independently and critically in the (online) public sphere”.
The New Media has not totally subverted the problems identified with the traditional media (Kaid 2004, 58). While in traditional media the producers manipulate information, in the New Media, both producer and consumer have capacity to manipulate information (Gastil 2007, 78).
The New Media poses a challenge of people insulating themselves. Due to technological advances, individuals are able to choose what they want through filtering the information that reaches them (Sunsetin 2002, 1). The capacity to filter easily generates or creates groups that only access information of a given kind.
Some groups are only interested in politics and thus access only political information. Some others are only interested in religion, ethnicity, nationality, age wealth or other convictions (Sunsetin 3). Balkanization of society across those lines is a possibility as a result of consumer capacity to filter what kind of information reaches them.
Sunsetin (2002, 212) indicates that the problem of self insulation was identified by the early thinkers on democracy. Both Stuart Mill and John Dewey argued that individuals and society at large can only progress if it is open to information from others.
Self insulation is not such a big problem because “the internet’s public sphere is networked” (Dahlgren 2005, 152). A networked public sphere means that there is more interconnection between individuals and societies than otherwise (Guidry, Michael & Zald 2000, 127).
The level of participation in politics has increased as per research carried out in Greece, Netherlands and Britain (Dahlgren 2005, 156).
Although people are sharing ideas widely, the challenge of clustering and group polarization still remains (Sunsetin 2002, 213). There is wide formation of enclaves (in-groups with tight interests that may be of no interest to the wider community) among internet users.
The formation of in-groups has its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand it enables further interaction between minorities thus sharpening their approaches at advocating for their special interest in the wider community.
A good example is the surfers against sewage studied by Wheaton. Wheaton (281) indicates that Surfers against Sewage (SAS) was one of the groups that had risen in Britain; this group represented a ‘form of lifestyle politics’.
There has been a shift from traditional empowerment politics to life politics (Wheaton 2007, 285). In the modern world, politics is general changing towards more focus on lifestyle challenges faced by given small groups (Wheaton 2007, 282).
These groups employ new media capacities, creating sub cultural media, towards mobilizing support for their causes in the wider society (Wheaton 2007, 287). SAS is a good example of an in-group that uses common interest to push for a good that could be termed as a common good.
Unfortunately, some enclaves only promote group polarization or may lead to balkanization of society (Sunsetin 2002, 214). Dahlgren (2005, 152), also assert that the internet has not escaped the ills of traditional media. Like in the traditional media, “consumerism, entertainment, non political networking and chat” are the key features of the internet (Dahlgren 2005, 152).
In concurrence, Cammaerts also points out that the prime sites belong to the market controllers in the traditional media. Although the internet “was initially based on strict non-profit philosophy, its recent history has shown that market forces have established themselves as the hegemonic paradigm of the internet” (Cammaerts 2008, 9).
Elites, corporate and government functionaries dominate the media and are the opinion setter in most issues of public concern.
The politicians of today, guided by the New Media values are only keen on dramatization and appealing to emotions (Harsin 2006, 97). With the New Media, the focus, especially of politicians, is on speed and branding rather than deliberations (Starr 2004, 101).
Their messages are not aimed at discourse or deliberation on issues but rather hardening positions of given niche groups. These are scenario is akin to the challenge of Tabloidization and propaganda faced by traditional media.
Politics is more geared towards response to niche groups, which often push for selfish interests that do not have a really impact or significance to the general public. Such politics does not challenge the broader social issues that need societal attention (Wheaton 2007, 289)
Group polarization due to like minded people finding their own enclave has a likelihood of degenerating social stability if the group does not have the common good as their goal (Kaid 2004, 114). The new media has made it easy for extremists to identify each other and share their otherwise warped ideas or scheme towards terrorizing the general public (Kaid 2004, 114).
The other problem with the new media is the security concerns and lack of information management structures. The new media has made it possible for anybody to spread hoaxes and false information.
Harsin (2006, 88) gives the example of hoaxes spread about John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaigns in the US. He argues that rumor has become so entrenched that websites have been set up to establish facts from rumors (Harsin 2006, 88).
Despite the mentioned problems, the new media has generally helped individuals to communicate and learn different opinions or views. This is good for society for it creates a sort of global citizenship or understanding in the general public (Sunsetin 2002, 215).
However, some areas due to the digital divide are not yet benefiting from the New Media (Gastil 2007, 94).The case of SAS proves the pivotal role of the new media in driving public opinion.
Wheaton (2007, 292) indicates that “while the mass media did play a pivotal role in exposing and communicating SAS’s message, for committed water sport enthusiasts such as surfers and windsurfers, the greatest exposure to SAS and its activities was via its subcultural media”.
Many challenges in the modern world are of global nature (Wheaton 2007, 295). Price (2009, 580) indicates that there are many non government actors, non governmental organizations and transnational advocacy networks that are tackling issues of global magnitude.
The public sphere is no longer state confined but rather encompasses the whole globe. Due to globalization, multinationals have great force or power in host countries. Globalization could also be credited with growth of transnational civil societies (Price 2009, 581).
Globalization is New Media driven; it is the internet and other faster communication and transport technologies that have led to the globalization phenomenon (Cammaerts & Van Audenhove, 2005, 181). The forces of globalization especially the new media, have given rise to the notion of transnational citizenships (Cammaerts & Van Audenhove, 2005, 183).
For a transnational civil society to form, individuals have to find a way of rallying international interest into an issue (Price 2009, 583). Most activist groups aim at local issues like a given company polluting the neighborhood; however, most are informed by the global dimensions of the challenge.
For example, pollution has global ramification if viewed in the context of global warming. Most internet forums, as related by Cammaerts and Van Audenhove (2005, 190)’s analysis, are of international appeal or nature. Most local activists thrive due to having support linkages with other activities across the globe (Price 2009, 594).
The challenge and dilemma to be tackled in relation to the new media is how to balance free choice needs of individuals, public integration and stem information cocoons (Dahlgren 2005, 158). There is need for public forums as a way of exposing people to information they would not seek if left on their own (Sunsetin 2002, 217).
Government intervention in the new media is as relevant as is the case in traditional media. Cammaerts argues that censorship and threats from fellow internet users undermine the freedoms of the internet (Cammaerts 2008, 16). However, that does not wash away the need for some form of regulation.
There is need for some form of regulation, to ensure the balance between free choice and proper interaction between different actors is achieved (Sunsetin 2002, 218). The challenge for any society is creating proper laws for free expression and a culture that promotes freedom (Sunsetin 2002, 222).
Reference List
Cammaerts, Bart. 2008. Critical Reflection on the Participative Nature of Blogs. London: London School of Economics and Political Sciences
Cammaerts, Bart and Van Audenhove, Lee. 2005. ‘Online Political Debate, Unbounded Citizenship and the Problematic Nature of a Transnational Public Sphere’, Political Communication 22(2)
Dahlgren, Peter. 2005). ‘the Internet, Public Spheres, and Political Communication: Dispersion and Deliberation’, Political Communication 22(2)
Gastil, John. 2007. Political Communication and Deliberation. New York: SAGE Publications
Guidry A. John, Kennedy D. Michael, Zald N. Mayer. 2000. Globalizations and Social Movements: Culture, Power, and the Transnational Public Sphere Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2000
Harsin, Jayson. ‘The Rumour Bomb: Theorizing the Convergence of New and Old Trends in Mediated US Politics’. Southern Review: Communication, Politics & Culture; Volume 39, Issue 1; 2006
Kaid, Lynda, Lee. 2004. Handbook of Political Communication Research. New York: Routledge
Sunsetin, Cass. 2002. Republic.com. Princeton: Princeton University Press
Price Richard. ‘Transnational Civil Society and Advocacy in World Politics’. World politics, Vol 55 No. 4. Cambridge University Press. Accessed from http//:www.jstor.org/stable/24054239
Rinnawi Khallil. 2002. The Internet and the Arab World AS A Virtual Public Sphere. Accessed from cmsprod.bgu.ac.il/NR/rdonlyres/E1D4CA76-9BEF-49A3…/Rinnawi.pdf
Starr Paul. 2004. The Creation of the Media: Political Origins of Modern Communications. Kansas: Basic Books
Wheaton, Belinda. 2007. Identity, Politics, and the Beach: Environmental Activism in Surfers against Sewage. Vol 2. UK: Routledge
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