LAWS AND POLICIES BEYOND MEDIA
Civil engagement on policy issue relating to media has been of great concern recently. Policies have been developed that play between media and politics. Procedures relative to media law including but not limited to the rights of expression, media, the protection of personal rights and mass media laws, that is laws related to print media such as magazine and newspapers, broadcast media such as radios and television, news agencies, online media among others. In recent days a lot of concern has grown over the current laws and policies affecting issue beyond media. These laws are beyond media freedom of speech of the press. Rules of the freedom of expression of news do not extend to propaganda for war, hatred, speeches, advocating for hatred, incitement to violence, incitement to cause harm or based on any discrimination. Laws as well as demanding that the media should protect national security, pubic orders and public morals. These may be injected by political powers and not necessarily relevant. This may also include ethics of political class, the corporate word the world and the security at large (Kediehor et al. 1-13) Questions on how to influence, how to address the challenge and how to have an impact on the roles of government related to media laws and policies has raised. Here are a research and action plan on how to deal with the situation.
There are several ideas on how to engage and improve the laws and policies which have been set by the government and different organization related to media. The designs include adhering and obeying the rules and procedures which has been set aside to regulate the press. This will enable the government and other organization to have an easier time to identify the few who will choose to go against the set rules and regulations. The government should put across other laws and control on how to deal with people, telecommunication industry, broadcasting, entertainment industry, online services among others who will not adhere to media law, the laws should include imposing fine and maybe denying them business licenses. This will make the laws to be followed more strictly (Chang Won Jung at al. 248-264) Some laws such as defamation which are mostly practised through media should be addressed daily, and the government should elect a particular organization to deal with those who will not follow the set rules
The other idea on how to improve media laws and policies is through teaching elementary students, high school students and more so students in tertiary schools who spent a lot of their time in media the importance of adhering to set rules and also educate them dangers of going against the set rules, the government should allow media to be taught as a core lesson in all schools. Volunteer’s and aid groups should come together with the government to train journalists and also plan on how to start projects to construct media institutions. They should also encourage and offer a scholarship to the students who have the passion of media studies in the country, and by doing so, many will be encouraged to study media. This act will bring a positive impact on laws and policies. All group media should form unions to protect their rights, and they should negotiate with the few who will decide not to join the union (Chang Won Jung at al. 248-264). The coalition formed should reach an agreement on establishing a regulatory body that every member is willing, able to support and participate in it. By practising the idea government and aid groups will be ready to help because they can see the plan layout of the union. The union should advise their members on to avoid some issues which are mostly practised by media groups such as sedition, defamation, plagiarism, privacy and copyrights. This will make the information given out by media groups to be taken with weight by all people receiving the information.
There should be a whole policy stage as an idea of improving laws and policies beyond media. All information from either government or other organization should follow an entire policy process. If for example, the government has decided to make changes in the law the media groups be involved in the whole process. The view that the media groups should be included only in early stages of the policy cycle but are not involved in final stages such as during formulation, implementation and evaluation stages should be highly opposed. If the media has given news of laws been changed by either government or any other organization, it should also give out the report on how the changing requirements have been implemented and formulated. It’s a good idea to educate public about local policies and laws by holding public campaigns and especially in rural areas where it’s difficult for people to access other where the rules and procedures have been recorded.
Addressing the issue of policies beyond the media is a very critical move that needs a lot of intensity with due intelligence. This is because it will require and involve very sensitive stakeholders such as the group media itself the business group and the political group class. The very first being sensitizing the political group about the and the rights of the media such as freedom of speech of press. That the political class need to respect the laws that are within the boundaries of exercising duties concerning media. This entails the court and the judges generally the executive arm of the government. They should take the necessary measures to control the political class from conflicting media laws and policies. This is so by taking the placed juridical actions on personnel who attempt or violate the media laws. This will enable the political class to give the media the freedom to exercise their duties within their mandate as per the requirement and policies that govern them.
Group media need to be in sighted and affirmed with their rights and freedom that guide them in their duties. They need to be enlightened and protected from the panic caused to them by the political class. That having them terrified is not a solution, but the answer lies in the provision and laws enacted by the judiciary to protect their duties. This will give them the necessary energy to deal with the situation as it is, with no fear. Again it will leave them bold and will give them power through their union to get entirely involved in the policymaking, that is, to bring the matter of policy and law-making in a table from its setting to its implementation (Wallace, 156-167). With this, the media will be in a position to deal with the myth that the media coverage does not strongly affect the political agenda, that is, either way, a political agenda is a list and is not subject to challenge. Having this in place helps in bringing harmonious results in the implementation stage of policies. This is so because every member subjected to the law feels represented at the formation stage of the law.
The business class as well need a lot of civic education as far as policies and regulations are concerned more, especially policies relating to media. This is because they are the financiers. They fund a lot of function relative to media. Education will make them understand the benefits of financing the media on occasions such as investigating sensitive matters of the country. They need to know that some investigation needs a lot of funding due to resources that may be required. These are people who need education on civil laws and policies relating to media. These will help to protect them from falling subjects of political manipulation.
How to have an impact on the role of government related to city policies and laws is a question on how to monitor the public systems from formation to implementation and even evaluation. This can be done by involving civil societies related to media, the media itself and the executive departments of law. Working with these groups will help hold the state accountable in making fair policies and laws governing the press media. These groups also assist in tracking and collecting information from media personnel already in the field about the experiences, if they might be coming through challenges such as possible sought of violence in exercising their mandate within the provisions of law. This will reduce advocacy for the destruction of the media and any kind of panic of the media personnel that they may experience from political and business class (Wallace, 156-167).
In conclusion, with the above move, there will be no suppressive laws and policies beyond. Every act and strategy will be within the boundaries of operation of the media, and upon their implementation, none falls out of media coverage.
References
Lim, Han Sol, and Chang Won Jung. “Direction of Laws and Policies for the Regulation of Internet Personal Broadcasting.” The Journal of the Korea Contents Association 20.2 (2020): 248-264.
Kediehor, Collins, et al. “The Mass Media, Whistle Blowing Laws, and Corruption in Nigeria.” International Journal of Recent Innovations in Academic Research 4.2 (2020): 1-13.
Luca, Michael, Deepak Malhotra, and Christopher Poliquin. “The impact of mass shootings on gun policy.” Journal of Public Economics 181 (2020): 104083.
Wallace, Lacey N. “Responding to violence with guns: Mass shootings and gun acquisition.” The Social Science Journal 52.2 (2015): 156-167.