A seminar in the series MaKS Research Seminars will be held on Friday 26 February at 12:15 in Room 414 MaKS Building.
Freedom of Expression, media and the citizen in the Internet Age
Freedom of Expression, media and the citizen in the Internet Age
Professor Guy Berger
UNESCO Director of Freedom of Expression
This presentation will explore the way that the Internet has impacted on the role of media and its relationship to press freedom and citizenship. An example is the impact upon traditional notions of public service broadcasting as a linear communications service for citizens rather than consumers. Another example is on journalism as a specialist information practice targeting audiences in a rational (and national) public sphere. A third example is: If citizenship is tied to a given jurisdiction, and Internet media spans jurisdictions, how does this affect the relationship between media and citizens? Is there value in the new concepts of cybercitizens and netizens? The presentation will also tackle the right to free expression online, as well as the issue of who should provide protection, respect and remedy concerning rights in cyberspace.
Guy Berger will draw on his experience as Head of the School of Journalism & Media Studies at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa from 1994-2010 and his ongoing work at UNESCO as Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development. Some avenues for future research in this sector may also be explored.
