Libertarianism And Social Responsibility Theory

Gozon, Cherie Ann O. PhD Media Studies Media 210

While the main premise of both libertarianism and social responsibility is freedom, but the specific context as to what kind of freedom they uphold and its underlying conditions as to the press’ content, accountability, operations, and audience response are different.

Libertarianism of the press encourages a high regard for freedom of the press to the point that they publish any information – be it good or bad – and trusts the audience’s mental capacity to distinguish facts and opinions from fabricated information. (Campbel, Martin & Fabos, 2012)

This theory believes that the press has the responsibility to divulge all information – no censorship, whatsoever – for public consumption. It

Sources should properly be cited, every data and numbers presented should be based on scientific study.

In social responsibility theory, there is freedom but is never absolute. The press is still under public and government criticism. They are bound to a set of ethics that, if they fail to follow, can be held against them by their audience or any media regulatory and governing body.

While both libertarianism and social responsibility theory take pride of their freedom from any government support and funding and that they are privately owned, they somehow differ on how privatization affects their audience response.

Libertarianism, however they banner a free press, leans toward pleasing their audience and those who fund them. Social responsibility, on the other hand, takes into account their responsibility to the people which is to deliver high-quality content – such as investigatory reports and documentaries among others – regardless if this is something that their audience would like or not. More so, regardless if it is to the delight of the people who fund

However, social responsibility theory is a more regulated, self-controlled, and responsible – for the lack of better term.

If I were to assess today’s local media, I would like to believe that they are more inclined towards social responsibility theory. In a utopian society, maybe.

However, I can say that they (and they make people believe) that they’re upholding their responsibility to the public of an objective and unbiased reportage to coat the reality of a libertarian practice of being inclined to side with their owners.

Despite their obvious commendable efforts of giving people an unbiased news report and balanced news broadcast, despite their remarkable productions of documentaries and investigative reports and giving the audience the freedom to interpret the facts they present, it can’t be denied that our local media still bow down to the business entities and conglomerates that are tied to the survival of their network or publication. It can’t be denied that they continue to rely on ratings to get the taste of their audience with all hopes to please them that would then result in gaining more advertisers, investments, and more companies to (blah blah)