THE COMPETING VALUES

The various rationales and objectives for regulatory intervention outlined in Chapter 2 may seem contradictory and inconsistent. They appear to start from different bases, pull in different directions, exhibit tension between each other and reach conflicting conclusions. In part, these contradictions are merely an accident of history, a reflection of the piecemeal way policy has responded to the historical development of different industries as opposed to ‘the product of rational differentiation between media within the framework of an integrated plan’ (Curran and Seaton 1997: 329). However, the very fact that no planned, medium- or long-term media policy or planning process has existed (Hitchens 1995a) appears to arise out of the failure to resolve inherent tensions and identify, if not a specific desirable destination, then at least a general direction in which to travel. The central thrust of this chapter is to seek to assist in attempts to identify a meaningful, overarching rationale for regulation of the media, to clarify - or replace - what has been the nearest thing as yet to serve as a guiding principle, the concept of ‘the public interest’.

Much regulatory activity, not only of the media, but also, for example, of the utilities, is justified by reference to a claim of the public interest. It might be expected that this basic justification would be clarified by reference to objectives that are deemed to further this concept.