Public service media and public policies in the Portuguese media system context: 2003-2013

Abstract

The situation of the general media system in our societies (its imbalances) imposes a renewal of public service media, mainly due to democratic imperatives. The text discusses the conditions for a refocusing of the service, considering the emerging challenges in terms of its internal operations and other matters concerning the relationships with other major media sectors (private business, the social market and the civic media). On the other hand, and in view of present technological conditions, in order to critically consider public communication as a central element in a media system, the former can no longer be restricted to a traditional public service (broadcasting) format, but must assume a broader scale - embracing new technologies and the so-called new media. It is on this scale that public service needs to be considered today and, increasingly, not as just a matter of the realm of communication policy, but also and primarily as a matter of citizenship, fully enacted as a communication right.