cs, Society, and the Media (Broadview, 2001). The chapter takes
a Canadian perspective on some issues of concern to McChesney—such as the role of the
state—but also addresses issues relating to political parties and campaign communication
not discussed in McChesney.
a. the state and its regulatory powers
What is the state? According to Max Weber, one of the founders of sociology and a major
th th
and early 20 century, the state is “a compulsory
political theorist active in the late 19
organization with a territorial basis” in which “the use of force is regarded as legitimate only
so far as it is either permitted by the state or prescribed by it” (Nesbitt-Larking, p. 138). And
what does the state do?
Enforces contracts and law Funds infrastructure (bridges, roads, airports, schools) Provides employment insurance, pensions Provides income distribution of other kinds (payments to have-not provinces, tax
breaks to poor) Provides police and military power; states have a “monopoly on legitimate violence”
The state’s legitimacy as the major political actor in liberal democracy is something that
must be constantly renewed. States advertise widely, distribute wealth, and organize 4-27
patriotic sentiment or national identity. They muster armies to fight wars, mobilize during
times of crisis, and argue for their role as a representative of public will. All these functions
and roles, of course, involve the media.
b. the role英语论文网 【http://www.51lunwen.org】 of the state in the regulation of the media
The boundaries between the state and society at large are fluid and always being
negotiated. The media operate in the space between the state and society at large. As
Nesbitt-Larking writes: “As with many other social organizations, the media in most capitalist
societies are neither entirely in the state nor outside the state; rather they occupy a shifting
ground, depending upon time and circumstance.” Nesbitt-Larking then itemizes the various
functions of the media in this liminal place between state and civil society:
State as proprietor: it owns various media and cultural institutions, like the CBC, the
National Arts Centre, the National Film Board (though these are controlled at arms-
length) State as custodian: it owns museums, archives, and other historical and cultural
assets State as regulator: the CRTC, the chief regulatory body for Canadian media, awards
licenses, hears complaints, and advises on policy State as censor: it sets limits on the freedom of expression (e.g., hate speech) State as patron: it awards commissions and grants for artistic and scholarly work
through the Canada Council and other bodies State as catalyst: it acts as a stimulus and source of advertising revenue to private
media through state advertising, e.g., Health Canada information State as newsmaker; it stages press conferences, initiates events, issues press
releases State as ideologue. It articu
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