Conclusion

Abstract

A wide range of technological, political, economic and sociocultural processes has traditionally shaped media and communications systems and their policy and regulation at national level, attached to the territorial boundaries and distinct regulatory approaches depending on the political system. However, national media and communications systems have been forced to evolve owing mainly to the phenomena of globalization, reregulation and liberalization, which have brought to the fore the neoliberal philosophy of regulatory frameworks and the transnational dimension of media governance. Since the 1990s, scholars have been using the term ‘neoliberalism’ for global market-liberalism (‘capitalism’) and for free-trade policies. ‘Neoliberalism’, denoting free markets and global free trade, is often used interchangeably with globalization and assumes that social development should proceed according to the dictates of the global market, with minimum government interference (Croteau and Hoynes, 2006). The trends towards political, economic and cultural globalization, coupled with technological developments and the rise of transnational corporations have all influenced the emergence of a global media and communications system. Within this context of globalized, liberal media structures and processes involving state, nonstate and international policy actors, new media policy issues emerge and consideration should be given to fresh approaches to address the new issues and support their governance.