Explanation:
Informative Role: There is a desire for the “informed citizen”, therefore it is the media’s duty to inform the people of what is going on with our leaders, our government, the social world, the economy, the environment, etc. so that we are capable of making rational and accurate decisions.
Educative Role: Citizens what to know the significance of events, how policies and regulations will affect our lives, etc. The media should not just throw the information at us, but assist us in understanding and comprehending what it is that we are hearing/seeing.
Platform Role: The media should serve as a platform to various groups in society; therefore, they must be diversified, objective, unbiased, and allow voices to be heard from all of society as well as the government, our leaders and the corporate voice in the “establishment”. It is the media’s duty to provide to the public an opportunity to hear all sides of a story – not just what is included in ministrial media (ie. one government’s platform)
Publicity Role: Politicians, leaders, celebrities, activists, intellects, etc. all use the media to publicize themselves and their mandate, cause, goal, or duty. Through the media, they can access the public on a widespread basis and draw attention to themselves – for better, or worse. The media evaluates the performance of the government and plays the part of the “skeptic” when the government tells them information.
Advocacy Rule: The media is a marketplace of ideas, so they should hear, broadcast and promote different viewpoints from different parties, whether it be social groups political parties, religous organizations, etc. However the media has to be careful when playing this role. Using politics as an example, they can either publish views of many political parties and advocate them to the public or they can persuade people to vote for a particular party. Clearly the latter is much more subjective and bias than the first.
