Voter-Funded Media
I have recently signed up for SFU Voter-Funded Media Contest. I have also signed CJSF up, considering I am the Public Relations Coordinator. It has been quite an interesting experience. I have spent most of my undergraduate career studying media representation, but I haven't really looked at the issue from this perspective. Now that I think of it, I really should have included it in my graduate school application.How would the system of voter-funded media work in a place like Vancouver? Would all citizens get to vote who works for the media? Would all media acquire permission from citizens before they publish or broadcast any stories? Where do we draw the line of "voter-funded"? If everything has to be determined by the voters, journalism schools probably wouldn't need to exist anymore. A journalist's ability and knowledge have become somewhat secondary because in a system of election, it all comes down to whether or not YOU get the vote, by any means, regardless why. A lot of officials get elected not because they deserve it. Rather, it's because they are better at influencing the masses and promoting themselves. How? Be it personal charisma, racial background, potential sexism, bribery, branding strategies, compliance with the status quo, etc....
I do see a few problematic aspects in today's Canadian media, but I don't think making it entirely based on support of the audiences is going to solve the problem. Instead, it might only worsen the existing politics in media.
Labels: Communications Was My Major
posted by Amanda Sung @ 9:00 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
Thanks Amanda for writing about the complex issues of voter-funded media. VFM is a new idea, so it needs to be debated and dissected. There are many possible ways to try it out. I plan to propose it for the city of Vancouver before long, so I’ll respond to your questions in terms of how I would recommend implementing it.
All Vancouver voters would get to vote on media funding, regardless of whether they themselves work for media. Media would not need permission from citizens to publish or broadcast stories, just as media now (without VFM) don’t need such permission. We have the political principle of freedom of the press, and VFM wouldn’t change that.
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘Where would we draw the line of “voter-funded”?’ so I’ll respond to three possible meanings:
1. What would VFM contestants be allowed to do to attract votes?
-- I recommend a very laissez-faire design: contestants can do anything they want – give any kind of information or other services, ask their friends to vote for them, appeal for charity, etc.
2. How big should the VFM award pool be?
-- Trial implementations can show us how much benefit VFM gives. We can then gradually increase its funding until the extra benefit no longer exceeds the extra cost.
3. Should all media be voter-funded?
-- No. There are plenty of media services that don’t need voter funding. Private-sector media serve private market needs well. VFM is needed for public-interest media. Existing public media (like the CBC) do not always have enough incentive or competition to fulfill all public information needs. I see a future ideal media system as a three-legged stool: private, public, and voter-funded. So I agree with the view in your last paragraph, that making media entirely based on audience support would not be wise.
I think VFM will increase the value of journalism schools, by providing new funding for professional public-interest journalism. Voters will learn which media benefit them more, by giving more helpful insight into public issues. Journalists’ ability and knowledge are essential for bulding media organizations’ track records and reputations.
I agree that “A lot of officials get elected not because they deserve it. Rather, it's because they are better at influencing the masses and promoting themselves.” You worry that the same will happen with how media get votes. I predict that media competing for reputations and voter funding will help voters see through these superficial influence strategies. The second year of VFM at UBC shows that voters are catching on – see http://votermedia.blogspot.com/2008/02/ubc-vfm-results.html.
Various opinions on VFM are linked at www.votermedia.org/forum; see also www.votermedia.org/forum/faq-democracies.html.
Hi Amanda - see you're using a graphic from our WIMPS (Where Is My Public Servant?) website. It is a resource run by and for young people. Currently it is not voter-funded - we are setting up international partnerships that will create an international network of socially engaged youth, and also, hopefully, allow us to sustain this initiative so we can enable a critical and constructive youth voice. See www.wimps.org.uk
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