Reform of Media Systems in Asia

Many Asian states are finding themselves in a period of multi-layered change regarding their media order. The technological opportunities brought about by digitalisation and internet-based communication affect those countries as much as other European states. At the same time political changes have an impact on the media order and also on the understanding of the freedom of opinion.

The Institute is sought after as interlocutor, also because of Germany’s experience in the post-war era. For example, the apprehension of freedom of opinion and media as stated in Art. 5 Abs. 1 GG [Basic Law] is of interest for societies in a democratic process, which fear the dominant opinion of powerful private groups in the light of rapid economical development. Further the expertise of new forms of regulation and the function of a public service broadcasting system is of interest.

In this view, the Institute with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung accompanies the reform process in Thailand, e.g. through workshops with governments representatives, the local public service broadcasters and reformers.

Korea is currently implementing a system to prevent dominant influence on public opinion along the lines of the German system. In this case the Institute provided knowledge in several expert discussions.

Finally the Consortium of Chinese and Euro-pean Research Institutions IPRNME has to be looked at in this context.

These activities exceed mere knowledge transfer. On the one hand many colleagues in these countries work on an internationally high level, so research co-operations appear reasonable. On the other hand the Institute deepens its apprehension of a comparison of media systems and the functioning of legal regulation instruments in different social and cultural contexts.

The Institute is validating opportunities to systematically pool these activities in the Asia Pacific region, thereby including contacts to colleagues at the Center of Creative Industries in Brisbane.