The Global Governance of Mass Media Content
The Global Governance of Mass Media Content
This chapter examines the global governance battles over traditional mass media and the timeless disputes between governments trying to strike a balance between the need to protect their citizens from content they deem harmful and the (evolving) rights to freely communicate and seek information. It argues that sovereign states protect their own interests for defining which content is harmful, while international media corporations are after profits for advocating free speech. The chapter first provides an overview of the fundamental human rights provisions on free speech before turning to the freedom versus interference debate and the “responsible speech” argument. It then discusses the role of mass media in political propaganda, discrimination, crimes against humanity, and protection of minors. Finally, the chapter considers the tension between the free speech argument and the national sovereignty argument, along with the implications of direct satellite broadcasting and the demand for a new international information order.
Keywords: global governance, mass media, free speech, human rights, interference, responsible speech, national sovereignty, direct satellite broadcasting, political propaganda, crimes against humanity
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