The Future of Broadcasting

3 ACCOUNTABILITY

Once the aims of broadcasting have been determined and suitable broadcasting structures created, the next question is: How can society keep its broadcasters up to the mark? Institutions and individual broadcasters alike can be regarded as ‘gatekeepers’ in the sense that they exercise editorial control over the selection, content and quality of whatever is transmitted. Those who make the countless daily choices which decide what subjects are to be treated, who is to appear, the style of treatment, the general balance of programmes and all the other thousand and one considerations, bear a heavy responsibility. However conscientiously they perform their duties (and in general it is right to say that there is a great sense of responsibility ...