A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LIBERTARIAN THEORY AND THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THEORY.
The libertarian theory of the press was adopted in England and the United States after 1688 and is influential all over the world.The idea of this theory rose in opposition to the authoritarian theory especially amongst the seventeenth century philosophers like John Locke, John Milton, Saint Simone and others.They argued that people are rational beings capable of differentiating between good and evil and if given all the facts will make the right choice.The purpose for this theory was to inform, entertain, educate, as well as check on the government.This theory further on aimed at promoting private ownership.
The Social Responsibility Theory(S.R.T) on the other hand was adopted in the United states in the 20th century.In 1942, a commission was established headed by Robert Hutchin and by 1947, the commission released a major report on its findings. The commission met to discuss the credibility of the press but ended up adding the notion of social responsibility. They also emphasized on the need for an independent press that scrutinizes other social institutions and provides objective, accurate reporting news report. The purpose of this theory is to inform, entertain, sell but also to raise conflict to the plane of discussion.Ownership is also private.
THE SIMILARITIES:
Both theories promote freedom of the press and value the United States' media traditions.
Both theories operate on private ownership.
Both theories are not interested in state interference.
Both theories were first adopted by the United States legal system.
Both theories aim at entertaining and informing its audience.
Both theories value the rationality of people who know what is good and evil.
Both theories are overly optimistic about media's willingness to meet responsibility.
Both theories are consistent with United States' media traditions.
THEIR DIFFERENCES.
The libertarian theory arose in opposition to the authoritarian theory of the press while the social responsibility theory arose to polish the libertarian theory of the press.
The libertarian theory is overly optimistic about individual's ethic and rationality while the social responsibility theory is overly optimistic about individual's responsibility.
The libertarian theory demands that media should be free to print whatever their owners want while the social responsibility theory imposes a burden of responsibility on the media practitioners.
The libertarian theory really considers the power of profit motivation and competition while the social responsibility theory underestimates the power of profit motivation.
