Democracy: The Four Theories (Systems) of Press

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One must first understand what a democratic system is, and its importance on journalism. According to Lyman Tower Sargent, the seven types of liberty that compose a democratic ideology are:
The right to vote.
Freedom of speech.
Freedom of the press.
Freedom of assembly.
Freedom of religion.
Freedom of movement.
Freedom from arbitrary treatment by the political and legal system.
While all of the above liberties are vital to a democratic society, those most important to journalism are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the freedom to assembly. These liberties have not always been present, and in some parts of the world they are still not awarded. One can view the present state of liberties granted to any country at the website www.freedomhouse.org. At the time of writing this paper an update with regards to Kazakhstan had been posted stating that the Kazakhstani court has ruled to shut down an independent newspaper. Kazakhstani is clearly limited in its freedoms and is not alone in these limitations. In other news, Turkey’s government is using leverage over media to limit public debate on government actions, and going so far as to punish journalists and media owners who dispute this position. Ukraine has also been the center of news recently, with protests and political strife. The Ukraine government has failed to protect freedom of expression and corruption, and poor ethical conditions continue to infiltrate the Ukraine media. This lends credence to my stating that not all parts of the world live under a democratic system of press. Journalism continues to be a very dangerous, and volatile profession for many, and numerous journalists have been killed in their quest to spread the truth. Those fortunate enough to...

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...tical Ideologies. USA, University of Missouri 2009
Siebert, Fred Seaton et al. Four Theories of the Press. USA, University of Illinois 1984
Marx, Karl and Engels, Friederich. The Communist Manifesto. London Pluto Press 2008
Online Works Cited
Democracy in Crisis: Corruption, Media, and Power in Turkey. Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/special-reports/democracy-crisis-corruption-media-and-power-turkey#.Uw93J-NdXDk accessed February 24, 2014

Kazakhstan Muzzles Independent Press. Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/article/kazakhstan-muzzles-independent-press#.Uw93feNdXDk accessed February 24, 2014

One Step Forward, One Step Back: An Assessment of Freedom of Expression in Ukraine during its OSCE Chairmanship. Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/special-reports/one-step-forward-one-step-back#.Uw94BONdXDk accessed February 24, 2014

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