Publicity & Technology, Vol. 5 - 1998, No. 4
Freedom, Transparency and the Public Sphere: A Philosophical Analysis
According to Thomas Nagel the desire for autonomy leads to a dilemma: to be certain that no unknown influence determines our decisions, we are driven to seek as much information as possible about what makes the reasons we have (e.g., to decide in favour of one alternative) the reasons for us. Eventually, we end up with a perspective that is so objective that there are no longer such things as decisions or choices, but only alternatives in the course of the world. A way out is suggested by the work on interpretation of Donald Davidson and by remarks of Habermas: autonomy does not require a totally objective view, because in the interpretation of actions, we decide on their autonomy. However, on Habermas' own view, autonomy is also not something that we can have, because he links autonomy to a final interpretation. The common root of Nagel's and Habermas' failure to make sense of autonomy are the famous views of C. S. Peirce about rational inquiry and knowledge. If autonomy presupposes transparency in so far that we know that there are no external influences and if we think of this knowledge as the final and absolute knowledge of eternal truths, it is only to be expected that this kind of knowledge, and therefore autonomy; cannot be had.
Globalisation, Media Infrastructures and Identities in a Diasporic Community
This paper draws upon a recently completed research project which examined the media environment and the identity politics of the Pakistani community in Bradford, England. Generation and gender were found to be powerful variables impacting upon both subjective identities and media consumption. The relationship between subjective identities and the viability of fragmented audiences in sustaining the media infrastructure is explored: particularly through a case study of the press. The transnational nature of political agendas and media conglomerates are examined and related to the role of the public sphere in multiethnic societies.
Spatialisation and International Communication Industries: The Case of Miami
This paper investigates the role this U.S.-based city plays in Latin American business and particularly its role in the extension and penetration of cultural industries' activities in that continent. Our thesis is that locational advantage interacts with political, economic and cultural factors to foster the growth of transnational cultural industries. As other types of companies enter the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia where near-term growth opportunities are high, the same expansion pattern or sequence of actions may be duplicated. Miami's location captures the capital, the cultural proximity, and the business structure required to exploit emerging markets. The interaction of the late 20th century business structures with Miami's cultural characteristics offers insight into how global economies of scale and scope can be understood in terms that must go beyond simple technology arrangements.
Small Countries and the Legend of the Free Market: Austria in the European Context
Over more than the past decade, there has been a surge of interest in the economic role and potential of the media. Within the context of "Information Society" and other policy initiatives, policymakers as well as investors have placed an increasing stress on the economic role of the media and cultural industries. This paper deals with the de- and reregulation of the mass media sector, and the pros and, in particular, the cons of the market approach. The mass media sector displays typical characteristics of traditional market failure and, at the same time, provides output with strong political relevance. Therefore public policy measures are even more important than in other industries. Historically, state regulation of the media sector (at least in Europe) has been politically and economically broadly accepted. At this time media output was still a "national" good. This paper will show how political and economic changes led to commercialisation and privatisation of the media sector at an international level. This development resulted in Austria in high concentration of power and oligopoly structures. The transformation from state to market regulation did not succeed. Lately, the necessity of "reregulation" is being discussed. The paper addresses the questions of which are the options regulatory reforms have in a sector of strong concentration and globalisation, the reasons for, and the success of regulatory reforms.