Introduction:
Normative theories were first proposed by Fred Siebert, Theodore Peterson and Wilbur Schramm in their book called “Four Theories of the Press”. At first the word “Normative Theory” was pronounced in USA during the height of ‘cold war’ with communism and soviet. Often it called as western theories of mass media.
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A Normative theory describes an ideal way for a media system to be controlled and operated by the government, authority, leader and public. These theories are basically different from other communication theories because normative theories of press are not providing any scientific explanations or prediction. At the same these “four theories of the press” were came from many sources rather than a single source. Sometimes media practitioners, social critics and academics also involved to develop these normative theories.
Normative theories are more focused in the relationship between Press and the Government than press and the audience. These theories are more concern about the ownership of the media and who controls the press or media in the country.
The four theories of the Press/Media
Few questions will helps to understand the needs of the normative theories
- Is media can published or broadcast any type’s of content will earn more profits in a shortest time? (think about Yellow journalism / Talbots )
- Is media can provide any public service even if no immediate profits can be earned?
- Is media can participate in any issues and solving the social problems?
- Is it essential for media to protect the consumers from the culprits, business frauds and corrupt bureaucrats by serving as a watch dog?
- What people expect from media during the time of crisis?
- Is media should broadcast the highly rated content even if it has high level of violence?
- Is a news paper publishing the unethical business content to encourage the company for its higher advertisements pay?
These questions are linked and concerned about the media day-to-day activities.
Examples:
- In 1996, NBC news department accused an innocent man in Atlantic Olympic bombing.
- In 1998, ABC radio falsely announced the death of the great comedian “Bob Hope” after receiving the error message from associated press.
- Past few years how wiki leaks releasing the classified documents in online media and its effect.
this is where it ends, everything about the press
nice work and appreciable work but the changes of social,political, cultural ,religious, laws, rules and regulation so on. many factors are involve to implement these in different societies
please i want to know the features of normative theory of the press and scholars of the 5 sub theories under it
The normative theory as the first theory of mass media is characterized with alot of deformities such as government influence on the massmedia.Under this theory the mass media are the children as well as tools of government,the government is still responsible in deciding what should be the actions of the media thus enhancing the service of the media to the top personalities in government rather than the whole public.
Is there a difference between the normative theory of communication and the normative theory of the press. There seems to be a confusion because the first owes its formulation to McQuail while the former to Siebert. Are they the same?
It is good to note that,these theries are almost thesame but having different scholars reshaping them to meet with modern demands.
i would like to know the differences and similarities that exist between lasswells theory and that of george garbner
What is the diffrence between the normative theories of the press and communication theories?
I just want to know the feature of normative theories.
What are the application of these theories on the Nigeria policy
are these theories mutually inclusive or exclusive
Hw can u explain the libertarian theory?
And is there any correlation between this theory and Nigeria?
How can it be apply to our contemporary society?
Please i need answer to all these questions, thank you.
Thanks, for the show of your intellectual brevity. To what benefits are the Normative theory of the press to the promotion of peace and justice in the society.
very helpful for all. thanx
Actually the matter isn’t that contradictory. The four theories of the press were originally developed by peterson, siebert and shramm: in their book “four theories of the phrase”. Which was later renamed by MC Quail as “normative media theoris”, this due to some features,attributes and concerns of the theory.
They are also called “classical theories”
hey thanks for the good work.how would you describe the historical development of normative theory
nice piece to get……
This theory has given room to know where the various press is operating and how to apply in nation building and development.
During the cause of time that I had began to take communication theory as a course i got to know that its broad and entails a lot. Theory is defined and means different things to different people, Theory is said to be a plan formulated in the mind. it can also be system of rules, procedures and assumption used to produce a result. With theory comes hypothesis, a theory cannot be said to be a theory without been tested. Hypothesis is an assumption that hasn’t been confirmed. Hypothesis enables one to get the right and proper result, whatever it may be theory the facts remains that theories are crucial analytical tools for understanding explaining and making prediction about a giving subject or subject matter.
However, there are different types and categories that make up theory.
*Post-positivism theory
*Hermeneutic theory
*Critical theory
*Normative theory
These theories take or make communication theory as a whole. Katherine miller a communication theorist argues that the theories share a commitment and they are;
Goals and objectives,Ontology, Epistemology, Axiology. Goals and objective are the aims that the theory strive to attain. Ontology deals more with reality and how the theory perceives reality. Epistemology seeks to gain more knowledge from the theory. Axiology then lay more emphasis on value and the value the theorist places on his theorist.
Moreover it is Normative we are to dwell upon, Normative theory deals more on ideal standard of or model or being based on what is considered to be the normal or correct way of doing things. Normative perceives that things as to be normal, human being and even the things of the world should be normal. Therefore Normative theory is all about normality.
AKINDADA OLAJUMOKE ELIZABETH, MASS COMM, CALEB UNIVERSITY LAGOS
It is easy to understand
This explanation of normative theories is ot much enough.
How colud the Nomative theory be apply to nigeria?
Which of the normative theory of the press should be advocate for a country like nigeria?
what are the relationships that exist among the four theories of the press
what are the relationships
Please explain the Limited effect theory
I suggest that the social responsibility theory should be advocated for country like Nigeria because from the study of Theodore,Semmah and Wilbur Schramm in d book titled “Four Thoeries of the Press” u will understand that the theory advocated for the obligation to the society from the press and there should be a high standard of professionalism and a combination of state regulation and self regulation
very easy
thanks for such godd lines, do you see the implementation of normative theories in current media? if yes. plz elaborate it.
Normative theories.
Communication and Society, a course I am taking this school year has exposed me to this topic. I am informed that normative theories are to explain press operations in relation to the society they are in. Normative theories are proposed based on the widely accepted fact that media does not operate in isolation or without interaction with a social world. Mass media is affected and influenced by the social and political actions of the society it operates in. A normative theory describes the ideal way for a media system to be controlled and operated (their functions) defined by the government, authority, leader and public. They focus on the relationship between the press and the government, ownership of the media and who controls press or media in the country. I have also been to understand that according to authoritarian theory, the media is controlled and censored by the elites and ruling class in the country but libertarian is fully free without any intervention of any authority or government, Social responsibility theory advocates press freedom in one hand but on other hand there is self-regulation and the public controls the press by raising questions and in Soviet media theory, the whole control of the media is under the leader of the nation.
I am very grateful for your expository take on the topic.
Benson Mabel
MassCommunication,
Caleb University, Lagos.
Thank you for all information you’ve given to us as a student,thank you very much to all of you.
Nice insight by you all on the normative theories of the press. But all in all, the libertarian theory is impractical because there is power and influence in the media hence politicians will never compromise to grant the media total freedom but would rather use the media to their gain. Moreover,giving the media total freedom will result in violation of other peoples rights since journalists will by pass ethical values in the name of freedom.
Emmanuel Chirwa
University of Malawi, the polytechnic, department of journalism and media studies.
Now I get it
A big help in my assignment 🙂 thanks
very helpful thank you so much.I did not understand anything in my module but your detailed precise information has helped me so much.
Does siebert, Peterson and schramms theories still exist??
Thnx alot.. it’s very helpful for media students.
Its enhance a bit of my understanding and how will these theories be applied to undeveloped states?
It’s very interest to us to know that theories
Normative Theory Are To Explain Press Operation To The Society
I need help with understanding the critical theory
Thanks in advance. I got informations abt the theories, but still searching in other sites, I got different and too many theory. How can I come up with clear concept
In my lessons, the four types of Normative theories include; Authoritarian, Libertarian, Social responsibility and Development theories.
I’d like to know if Development theory is a whole different concept from Soviet theory. or if the said development theory exists or not. Help?
What are the assumptions of the four normative theories
Which one among the theories is applicable to the Nigeria’s media practice?
I am appreciate with the theories my question is that which one of the theories is more persuative
Content !
I have an exam tomorrow and I could not understand anything about the normative theories thanks for this usefull information
Actually alot have been said about these theories and thanks for the Schorlars who developed it. Practically if we look at our dear country Nigeria due to the way things are happening with the practice of Nigerian media, are we practicing Social Responsibility theory or we are practicing Soviet Communist theory ? thanks you.