The Public Sphere

Haberamas' concept of the Public Sphere essentially emphasized a belief in rational communication.  He hoped the Public Sphere would create a place in which ideas, values and events could be discussed.

A blending of the state and society was fundamental to Haberamas' concept.  He believed that public ideas should drive the market and public policies.  In other words, Haberamas hoped market and public policies would be motivated by ideas from the people, as opposed to the other way around.  

Over time, arguments have been made that Capitalism has blurred the lines of the Public Sphere; media is framed in a specific, commercially driven way.  Others argue that a Public Sphere never really existed in the first place; media never really represented public opinion, or presented information in as unbiased a way as possible.

Based on the reasons given for the decline of the Public Sphere, I'd have to argue that a Public Sphere existed at one time, and Capitalism has ultimately blurred its lines.

With the introduction of the internet, it can be argued that there is hope for the Public Sphere.  The internet has the ability to provide the interactivity that the Public Sphere has been missing.  However, it's incredibly fascinating to consider whether the internet will bring back the public sphere, or if it's just another way for powerful industries to control us.  When considering my opinion on this matter, I kind of flip-flop in how I feel.  I think the internet can go both ways in today's society and I'm interested to see the route it ultimately takes.

Currently, I feel as though the internet provides more of the interactivity that the public sphere has been missing.   It is an outlet for us to communicate ideas against media conglomerates.  However, there is always the chance that powerful industries can control us through it.  Consider the latest YouTube rumor.  YouTube became popular for allowing pretty much anyone to publish content to its site.  They provided that outlet for anyone to communicate their ideas.  Recently, rumors have spread that YouTube may be encouraging less of the average Joe's created content and instead, more celebrity created content.  YouTube is willing to pay up to $5million dollars for certain celebrities to create YouTube channels. 

Although many think this is a smart move for the site, I think it shows just how quickly a powerful industry can control us.  Instead of opening more space for our communication, it's creating space for content that is commercially driven.  We have seen this over and over again in the media, and I wonder when powerful industries will stop worrying about programming that makes them a profit, and instead maintain outlets for us to communicate our ideas.