For a scary view of the future take a look at Hungary. "By slashing the independence of the judiciary, the central bank and the media, by gerrymandering constituencies and cementing loyalists in key positions for nine-year terms, Mr Orban is ushering in a new age of authoritarian control."* Ironically Prime Minister Viktor Orban was a dissident hero in the 1989 revolution, but is ushering in unified state control of the sort they threw out when they rejected centralised geriatric control they risk giving their successors the power to make supposedly independent bodies take decisions that keep the government happy.
(Independent 7 Jan
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/lea...86248.html)
In Russia there is as absence of media critical of the government. In Italy most broadcasters were controlled by Berluscioni or his government, meaning people in the UK heard more about his bedroom antics than Italians. Tight control of the media was also a hallmark of various shades of Arab governments.
The trouble with control of the media is that too easily turns into suppression of unwelome news or spin. Repressing unpleasant news and opinions solves nothing. It just screws the lid on the pressure cooker, relieves governments of a sense that they need to solve problems.
Of course free speech is useless if that right is not exercised. Under Ofcom regional news has been all but abolished, ITV has been allowed to merge about 10 independent companies into 2 large ones, centralising control. One of the largest broacasters and platform controllers (Sky/NI) controls 40% of the papers and at one stage had a 28% stake in ITV.
Five is a Public Sector Broadcaster and is expected to have strong element of News and Education, as well as its renouned documentaries. Does anyone think of Five in terms of serious news? And thats just PSBs. There are large numbers of entertainment channels on Freeview (state controlled), Virgin and Sky with zero news, current affairs, childrens content, original drama, education or anything that might make people think. And because those channels are free of the PSB overhead they have a competitive advantage. ITV is dying a slow death. Four and Five could follow unless they go down market. Give it a few years and UK TV news could be the sole preserve of the BBC (trusted but state appointed) and Sky, a severe contraction of current plurality and concentration of power.
But what about the papers? Surely the will still be free to publish? Given time the papers will be replaced by TV and mobile services. Both of which will be subject to more control than papers ever were, starting with licencing.
Id better stop there. Am I suggesting that the likes of Dave, Sky Atlantic and Psychic Today should show News and Current Affairs? No, not really, though I thibk they should be allowed to at the drop of a hat, without formality and without an application process if they want. (Shopping channels are BANNED from having editorial content). Apart from anything else, you cant force people to be interested in news. One option might be for channels that opt out of social content to pay a 1% cross subsidy, though that might lead to dire PC social worker controlled dross like local theatres. Or the current free for all might just work, it seems to for papers and magazines.