This document discusses freedom of expression and the public interest in media. It covers key topics like freedom of speech, censorship, hate speech, and the role of media. It argues that media can serve as the "fourth estate" by monitoring government and focusing public attention on important issues, but sometimes prioritizes profit over public interest. The "fifth estate" of independent bloggers and social media users also aims to influence policy debates. When revealing government wrongdoing as watchdogs, media defend democratic rights, though what constitutes hate speech versus free expression can be complex.

1. Freedom of expression and
public interest in media
Irena Lovrenčič Držanič

2. Freedom of expression
Freedom of religion
Political correctnessCensorship
Whistleblowing
Artistic freedom
Intellectual freedom
Marketplace of ideas
Free speech

3. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 19:
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes
freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
 Task: What does it mean to have the right to your own opinion and the right to
express it? What is the difference between these rights?

4. Categories of Expression
• political expression: legitimate, robust
comment on public figures
• artistic expression: creative writing,
visual art, music, theatre and dance,
contribute ‘to the exchange of ideas
and opinions which is essential for a
democratic society’.

5. Relation to other rights
• Harm principle or offense principle  hate
speech
• Legal sanction, social disapproving or both
• Closely related to other rights and may be
limited when conflicting with other rights.
• Media: freedom of expression for everyone.
• Freedom of the press ≠ freedom of speech 
freedom of the press may constrain freedom of
speech (media suppresses information or
diversity of voices presented)
• Principle "no money, no voice"

6. Quote
“Anything that can hurt the convictions of someone
else, in particular religious convictions, should be
avoided.”
– Jacques Chirac, French president in 2006
 Task: Do you agree? What do you think, where are the limits of free speech?

7. Hate speech
• any speech, gesture or display which is forbidden because it may incite violence
or prejudicial action against or by a protected individual or group, or because it
intimidates a protected individual or group
 Task: When does freedom of expression become hate speech?

8. Examples: Charlie Hebdo
''Intouchables 2''
"It's hard to be
loved by idiots"

9. "The Father, The
Son, and The Holy
Ghost"
"Michael Jackson,
white at last."

10. Hate speech?
Virgin Mary‘s pregnancy test

11. Public Interest
• main function of media
• interest about topics that are relevant for a majority of
people
• not a synonym for the interest of public, because the
last is driven by profit and audience maximization
• When media follow public interest, they work as the
fourth estate.

12. The Fourth Estate
• fourth branch of government  monitor the political process
• guardians of democracy, defenders of the public interest
• media merely entertain and turn the potential participants in
the public sphere into passive consumers
• the power to set a media agenda, to focus public attention on
a few key public issues

13. How Media Construct Public Opinion -
Media Coverage

14. • Watchdogs: reveal abuses of state authorities and defend the democratic rights
of citizens
 Task: What happens when media work as the fourth estate and publish information
about government’s wrongdoing?

15. Edward Snowder-Citizenfour 2014

16. The Fifth Estate
• media genres outside the mainstream media (bloggers,
independent journalists, social media users and hacktivists)
• only a few blogs have a real power to influence the policy-
making process

17. Julian Assange-The Fifth Estate 2013