Public Space In The Era Of Mass Communication: Development Of Audiovisual Public Service Idea Cover Image

Viešoji Erdvë Masinës Komunikacijos Eroje: Audiovizualinës Visuomeninës Tarnybos Idëjos Raida
Public Space In The Era Of Mass Communication: Development Of Audiovisual Public Service Idea

Author(s): Žygintas Pečiulis
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla & VU Tarptautinių santykių ir politikos mokslų institutas

Summary/Abstract: Public space is realized as social and communicative arena, civic forum. The whole of individuals becomes a market of information consumers where arguments are presented and public opinion is formed. Conception of public space is related to alternation of state organization and communication models. While a modern state is being created, press forms a bourgeous public space. Radio and television invoked public discussions in the last century. Conception of public radio and television formed in Europe prolonged the tradition of public service. Community delegates to the state certain regulation functions which secure the right of a citizen to receive information and to participate in formation of public opinion. The monopoly of radio and television broadcast granted to democratic state has to guarantee pluralism and word freedom. Goals of public broadcaster are to expand civic society, stimulate activities of non-commercial and non-political groups, nourish national values. Main principles of an audiovisual public service are accessibility, pluralism, universality, independence. Citizens control (public services) and finance (subscription fee) public broadcasters. An antimonopolic wave formed in the eighth decade of previous century forced to liberalize the sector of European audiovisual communication. A new political consensus was achieved: only competition can secure pluralism. Traditional conception of public space varies. Market of audiovisual mass communication growing rapidly formed public space being regulated and activated in a special way. Efforts of generated communication (public relations) and competitive media invoke an opposite effect – decreasing interest in public life. According to the opinion of radical democratic theory conception of public space formed by liberal democracy fell into desuetude, because community was split to heterogenous groups which don’t have the vision of the common goal. Information community evolves in the direction of demassification and diversification; it will be supplied with products of media according to individual demand. The model of vertical communication dominating in public space is replaced by horizontal interactive communication. In such a way models of popular and qualitative communication become equally important. However the idea of public audiovisual service becomes more and more popular. It is believed that only it can guarantee functioning of democracy not allowing forming community of two speeds where not all of them will have an access to information resources.

  • Issue Year: 2005
  • Issue No: 3 (39)
  • Page Range: 071-090
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Lithuanian