NORMATIVE

THEORIES OF THE
PRESS
 Normative
Theory
It is a type of
It is a type of theory that
describes an ideal way that
theory that describes how media should be
an ideal way of the structured and operated
within the society or how
media should be journalism/ media ought
structured and to, or are expected to,
operated within the operate what is desirable in
relation to both structure
society and performance.
 Authoritaria
n
Authoritarians are
necessary to control
It is a normative
theory of mass The press and
the media, to protect communication media cannot
and, prevent the where mass media work
people from the
national threats
is influenced and independently
through any form overpowered by and their works
communication power and are suspected to
(information or authority in the
news). censorship.
nations.
 EXAMPLES OF
AUTHORITARIAN

For right Nikolai Yezhov, standing near Stalin was

removed from this photograph after he shot dead in
1940. These types of censors are common during
Stalin’s reign.

Journalist or any media persons should not have

any rights to comment, discriminate or stand
against the government. Sometimes, an authority
gives considerable freedom to minority thoughts
and cultural issues to promote them if it doesn’t
make any threats to authority or ruler.
 EXAMPLES OF
AUTHORITARIAN

KING

King is the authority, who has

all rights to control the
communication and no one can
question against the king.
 Media Control in
Authoritarian
Authoritarian theory describe that
all forms of communications are
under the control of the governing
elite or authorities.

By formatting and controlling the message,

an authoritarian regime will dominate and
control their population. They will project
power, manipulate and maintain influence
over their people; furthermore,
authoritarian regimes also believe that by
controlling the message, they also ensure
political legitimacy.
 Functions of
Authoritarian
The authorities have all rights to
permit any media and control it by
providing license to the media and
make certain cencorship. If any
media violet the government policies
against license, then the authority
has all right to cancel the license and
revoke it. The government have all
right to restrict any senstive issues
from press to maintain peace and
security in the nation.