ABSTRACT

The scholarship on media freedom has tended to focus on threats from state and corporate power, avoiding the awkward reality that ‘people power’ can also be a source of constraints. These ground forces can work in tandem with political and economic power, or independently. They contradict the common assumption that the public is the natural ally of independent media, against the tyranny of states and markets. While Asian publics are more able than ever before to make themselves heard, it is naive to believe that they will always use their rising voices in support of democratic values. Apathetic silence is common, especially when people do not identify with the victims of human rights abuses, or when they do not feel directly harmed by official corruption. Today, there is ample evidence that the glare of publicity does not guarantee justice. In highly polarised societies, public opinion can even turn against journalists and other critics who malign leaders, parties and movements that are seen to represent the masses. Such dynamics require closer attention to what it means for the media to be free from power, and whom exactly the media should use their freedom for.

摘要

关于媒体自由的学术研究倾向于关注来自国家和企业权力的威胁，避免“人民权力”也可能成为约束来源的尴尬现实。这些地面部队可以与政治和经济力量协同工作，也可以独立工作。它们与公众是独立媒体的天然盟友这一普遍假设相矛盾，反对国家和市场的暴政。尽管亚洲公众比以往任何时候都更有能力让自己的声音被听到，但认为他们将始终用他们日益高涨的声音来支持民主价值观的想法是天真的。冷漠的沉默是常见的，特别是当人们不认同侵犯人权的受害者，或者当他们没有直接受到官员腐败的伤害时。今天，有充分的证据表明，宣传的眩光并不能保证正义。在高度两极分化的社会中，公众舆论甚至会反对那些诋毁被视为代表群众的领导人、政党和运动的记者和其他批评者。这种动态需要更密切地关注媒体摆脱权力意味着什么，以及媒体究竟应该为谁使用他们的自由。