The role of media on good governance

Media as a tool to monitor the executive

By Maria Baroni

2. Media and public opinion

TVs political debates, Newspapers’ surveys, Investigations, Web-sites, Blogs, Polls, Facebook, Twitter, etc. are means informing the people about:• the main challenges (economic, social, etc. at

international/european/domestic levels),• how the government is facing these challenges,• how families and citizens are affected by the

situation and react to these measures.

3. Involving citizens to face the crisis

• Local authorities give citizens the opportunity to take part in the decision making process (participatory budget – agenda setting; on-line minutes of the govt meetings);

• Political organisations invite citizens to vote the best candidate for electoral competition;

4. “Austerity” measures to face the economic crisis

EU countries are using a mix of: • European «austerity» meausures (reduce

increasing public budget deficit to prevent default and support the «EU recovery plan» (loans to countries in default);

• National measures (increasing taxes) to finance social security policies and avoid banks’ shocks .

5. People political distrust

Because of the lasting of the crisis, people distrusts Europe, political parties and politicians, as they seem to be unable to deal with urgent problems and find solutions.People organise demonstrations and other protests through social networks, tweets and polls.

Why?Neither European measures, nor national measures, succeed in preventing people from unemployment and increasing poverty.

6. Citizens’ demand for change

People ask:• to stop increasing taxations;• to reduce politics’ costs ;• to support families and SMEs;• to stop corruption and waste of public money.

The internet is the battle-field of this demande of change

7. Indipendent monitoring politics

• Insightful information can clarify and explain citizens about governamental action in the global political context,

• Investigations may disclose wastes and corruption and bring politics to reform itself,

• Surveys and reports may help citizens to better understand the complexity of political situation.

8. The role of social networkSocial network help politicians

• to hear the people’s voice/needs,• to be closer to a great amount of citizens

(youth) in an informal way,Social network help people

• to use their right to be involved in the decision making process,

• to influence the changeThe risk: banalisation of complexity

9. The essential role of pluralistic media to understand society

• Media analyse and explain to citizens political issues at global, European and domestic level,

• Media analyse and explain to politicians and citizens, both:political situations, and social reactions and behaviuors.

Pluralistic information: a mediator between politicians and society.

10. EU road-map for an effective good governance

• Promoting better regulation • Protecting freedom and pluralism of the

media• Encouraging Information Society and

expanding participation• Promoting e-Democracy• The European Petition Right • 2013: European Citizenship Year