Normative theories of the press

Journalism and Mass Communication · Communication theory. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

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The idea

Normative theories do not describe media effects. They say how the press ought to work under a given political system, and who should control it. The starting idea is that the press always takes the form of the society in which it operates.

The classic statement is the book Four Theories of the Press (1956) by Siebert, Peterson and Schramm. It sets out the authoritarian, libertarian, social responsibility and Soviet communist theories.

Denis McQuail later added two more: development media theory, for poor countries building a nation, and democratic-participant theory, which wants small, local media run with the people's participation.

Rules to remember

Authoritarian: the oldest; from the age of absolute monarchs. The press serves the ruler, with licensing and censorship before publication.
Libertarian: the press is free of state control and acts as a check on government. Linked to Milton's 'Areopagitica' (1644) and the free marketplace of ideas.
Social responsibility: freedom comes with duties to society. Linked to the Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press (1947) in the United States.
Soviet communist: the press is owned by the state and serves the party. Rooted in the ideas of Marx and Lenin.
Development media theory: the media should support national development (literacy, health, agriculture) and may accept some limits for that goal.
Democratic-participant theory: local, small-scale, interactive media; a right of access and reply for citizens; a reaction against commercialised and centralised media.
Authors of 'Four Theories of the Press' (1956): Fred Siebert, Theodore Peterson and Wilbur Schramm.

Common mistake

Do not treat social responsibility as a form of state control. The press stays privately owned and free; it regulates itself through codes of ethics and press councils.

Worked example

In a country no newspaper may appear without a government licence, and the licence is cancelled if the paper criticises the ruler. Papers are privately owned. Which theory fits?

Private ownership rules out the Soviet communist theory, where the state and party own the press.
Licensing and punishment for criticism rule out the libertarian and social responsibility theories.
A privately owned press that must serve and never challenge the ruler is the authoritarian pattern.

Answer: Authoritarian theory.

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