Media Ownership and The Marketplace Of Idea: Is True Democracy Possible?

Abstract

There is a linkage between the mass media and the ideology of democracy. Theoretically and normatively, democracy presupposes the existence of deliberative and participatory involvement of the entire citizenry of a political system in governance and management of the commonwealth with a view to maximising the welfare of the entire members. This contracts with the paternalistic perspective of authoritarianism, which views the rulings elite as the most knowledge, qualified and divinely- ordained to meet the greater good of the citizens .This paper, therefore, examines the impact of media ownership on the marketing place of idea and how it facilitates public participation in a true democracy