When we talk about media, we usually talk about “freedom” and “responsibility”. Most people believe that liberated and independent media is essential to journalism. So, problems faced by journalists within authoritarian system are often recorded and emphasize how governments punish, threaten and kill those journalists who are considered harmful to society. Developed countries usually try to spread that notion of libertarian media system, whereas many countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America are far behind.
I think that beyond obvious cases of authoritarian governments there are restrained symbols of freedom loss. Moreover, authoritarianism as a media philosophy will never completely disappear. The natural trend for global press systems, as is true with governments, is toward authority and order. This, of course, always and everywhere restricts liberties of all kinds. Media system is somehow controlled by the most powerful and richest entities that see their interests in controlling the public opinion. However, I think that the emphasis shifted from the press’ freedom to the press’ responsibility which is a more important concepts since the public opinion became aware of the responsibility that the press has towards them.
