Democracy and Mass Media Piffer Daniela, Director of Accademia Santa Croce San Venanzo,Terni, Italy Email: danielapiffer @ gmail.com Abstract The concept of democracy (1) is vast yet not always clear. The press and freedom of expression should indicate the healthy state of a democracy. The role of the mass media should be to objectively inform citizens about important events happening in the political or economical environment in the world. Often the press or other mass media involuntarily or voluntarily incite xenophobia and other forms of violence. Often both in the past and now mass media have helped to produce biased information that has alienated entire generations and offered the wrong information about a country or about a group of people. Cross migration to industrialized countries, displacements of migrating groups and alienation among the youth, conflicts and environmental degradation of the earth resources, unemployment and lack of natural resources have seen recently an increase of xenophobia, racism and terrorism. Is this to be ascribed entirely to natural factors or are the components of the increasing discontent and protest and the mounting violence, a combination of lack of communication and increased selfishness in the society, i.e. consumerism, lack of responsibility towards less fortunate members of the society? How much impact do conflicts have on the economy of a country? How much impact does education have on the well being of a population? And how do well educated people actually contribute to a better society? Top Keywords democracy, xenophobia, Conflict. Top |