Media, Nationalism and European Identities

Chapter 12: The Clash of Resonance: Media Pluralism in European Regulatory Policies

CHapter 12 the Clash and resonance: Media pluralism in european regulatory policies1 beata KliMKiewicz only where things can be seen by many in a variety of aspects without changing their identity, so that those who are gathered around them know they see sameness in utter diversity, can worldly reality truly and reliably appear. Hannah arendt2 introduction Media pluralism has been widely used in european media policies as a valuable normative concept rather than a category for regular measurement and monitoring. it has mostly generated a consensus over its merits and importance for the democratic processes and identity formation at the european level. these processes are closely related to media exposure of distinctive opinions on european matters, as well as values and cultural representations that influence them. indeed, various studies show that the news media matters in shaping public opinion about european integration, but mainly when their users are exposed to a considerable level of news coverage with a consistent evaluative direction.3 it was also observed that highly knowledgeable media 1 this is a revised version of the text published first in Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe: Concepts and Conditions ed. by a, Czepek, M. Hellwig and ewa Nowak (2009), Bristol: intellect. 2 arendt, H. (1958), The Human Condition, Chicago: the university of Chicago press, 57. 3 de Vreese, C. H.; Boomgaarden, H. G. (2006) “Media effects on public opinion about the enlargement of the european union.” Journal of Communication and Media Studies, Vol. 44, No. 2, 419–436. i4 Jakubowicz.indb 345 2011.03.21. 14:26 346 european Media policy users are more likely to support the idea of advanced european integration . at the same time they are also more likely to reflect and think critically about the democratic nature of eu institutions.4 Media pluralism contributes to richness of european public opinion and identity formation, yet its complexity has a propensity toward ambiguity. its interpretational variety, the manifold character, constitutive vagueness and ever-changing circumstances provide for a wide range of ways in which the concept is being used in the formulation of policy objectives and rationales, as well as in policy implementation. this contribution aims at a conceptual analysis of media pluralism as it has been used and operationalized in european media policies. three aspects will be observed in this respect: vocabulary used, methods of reasoning, and development of a policy process itself. the chapter argues that problematization of media pluralism stems from different standards of rationality (cutting across geopolitical divisions), and that it implies an ambivalent policy-makingand ambiguous language in which policy process is negotiated.5 despite this conflict of rationalities , media pluralism has stimulated policy resonance, especially at an institutional and participatory level. definitions and approaches in Media policy CoNCeptual iNterpretatioNs the context and scale of media pluralism, as well as its relations and interdependencies with the political system and larger society, define the way and discourse through which the term itself is conceptualized and operationalized as a policy rationale. Media pluralism is approached at a number of layers through which complexity of the media manifests itself. these include: a macro level of media systems (media 4 Karp, J.a.; Banducci, s. a. and Bowler, s. (2003) “to Know it is to love it. satisfaction with democracy in the european union.” Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 36, No. 2, 271–292. see also: inglehart, r. (1990), Karp, J.a.; Banducci, s. a. and Bowler, s. (2003). 5 a close relationship between ambiguity of language and ambivalence of political conduct was distinguished and conceptualized by Michael oakeshott (1996) The Politics of Faith and the Politics of Scepticism, New Haven and london : Yale university press. i4 Jakubowicz.indb 346 2011.03.21. 14:26 347 The Clash and Resonance ownership and service structures, entry costs and conditions), a meso level of media institutions (media performance, professional practices, user access and the way the user interacts with the content and services ), and a micro level of media content. Media pluralism is also being interpreted through conceptual dichotomies or alternatives such as external/internal, proportional/open, organized/spontaneous, polarized/ moderate, evaluative/descriptive or reactive/interactive/proactive. the table below illustrates this conceptual framework: Table 1: Comparison of conceptual dichotomies and alternatives of media pluralism eXterNal * plurality of independent and autonomous media outlets and providers, *multiple centers of ownership , production, performance and distribution control orGaNiZed *media pluralism is organized in a segmented structure of media outlets...