Working Paper No. 36 - Social consequences of the globalization of the media and communications sector: some strategic considerations

Media and communications has played a vital role in globalization by being an enabler of globalization and a transformation agent of social, cultural, and political structures. The paper discusses two possible futures for the media and communications component of globalization: the commercialization of media sectors and outputs creating media and communications products or fulfilling more human needs and rights through media and communications. The latter is least likely to occur unless a more balanced distribution of power amongst the multilateral system, government, private sector, and civil society is established working to promote the human rights agenda. The paper suggests international institutions should use the global media framework to put the needs of people first, and so reforming the structure of global governance is necessary to change the way media and communications is governed towards a more social direction.