Public Media

"In general, media whose mission is to serve or engage a public. Public media includes traditional publicly-funded broadcasts and networks... as well as public uses of new platforms and distribution mechanisms, such as the Internet, podcasting, blogging. Increasingly the term "public media" is less associated with taxpayer supported media; it may be for profit so long as its ultimate purpose is to serve the public and not to turn a profit." WGBH Educational Foundation Conference, Open Content and Public Broadcasting (19-21.09.06).

I love this definition of the Public Media. I feel it addresses only a very minuet element of the media these days though. Like come on, everything seems like it is for profit these days - but no, not public media.
Public media, to me, seems to be all about serving the public. The public has a right to information - information that is brought to them by such public media forms as the ABC and SBS news channels, SBS and ABC radio stations, as well as NHK (Japan), NPR and PBS (US), TVNZ (New Zealand), DR (Germany), CBC (Canada) and RTHK (Hong Kong). Sure these company are bringing in money, but it is found that its ultimate purpose is to serve the public ad not to turn a profit.
Searching "public media" on YouTube found over fifteen immediate public media channels. This just proved of its purpose in serving the community.

Further, this lecture looked at public medias's role in a democratic society. According to BBC, it was outlined that this media form requires public values, such as:
1. embed a 'public service ethics'
2. value for licence fee money
3. 'weighing public value against market impact'
4. Public consultation (e.g. Should the ABC have more documentaries?)

The lecture went into detail about what the ABC actually provides the public with. It mentioned the ABC News 24 (which is apparently quite dodgey) as well as ABC Channel 2 and 3, the ABC Local radio, radio national, classicFM and Triple J! I fee I ABC really fits the geographical universality (outlined by a 1985 broadcasting research unit who defined public service broadcasting) through being, "A tacit answer to the kind of nation we thought we ought to be". ABC provides the public with accurate and professional information! (I hope..)

SBS was also spoken of. It was addressed to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect Australia's multicultural society. I like this idea of this. I like the diversity in culture and this makes me admire SBS a little bit more.

Having addressed the function and form of Commercial media in last weeks lecture, it was time to learn it all for Public media. The functions of Public media included national building (NBC -communication and getting the entire community together), national heritage (ANZAC Day coverage) and national identity (who we are as individuals).
I felt that all these functions strived on national service and not company profit building systems. I loved that! Media functioning on service rather than money seemed so ironic!

This lecture did also acknowledge the challenges for public media as well as the future of public media which I found highly interesting. However, as soon as the conversation turned into government and political information, I just completely zoned out.. Bad idea.
However I did learn that 'Commercial pressures for one = Political pressures for the other' and 'Perceived lack of political independence = more control and more targeted funding'!

Intelligent man. I like how passionate he is!

16.02.2012