Overview
The term state media is often used in contrast to private or independent media, which has no direct control from any political party. Its content is usually more prescriptive, telling the audience what to think, particularly as it is under no pressure to attract high ratings or generate advertising revenue. In more controlled regions, the state may censor content which it deems illegal, immoral or unfavourable to the government and likewise regulate any programming related to the media; therefore, it is not independent of the governing party. In this type of environment, journalists may be required to be members or affiliated with the ruling party, such as in the former Soviet Union or North Korea. Within countries that have high levels of government interference in the media, it may use the state press for propaganda purposes:
- to promote the regime in a favourable light,
- vilify opposition to the government by launching smear campaigns
- giving skewed coverage to opposition views, or
- act as a mouthpiece to advocate a regime's ideology.
Additionally, the state-controlled media may only report on legislation after it has already become law to stifle any debate. The media legimitises its presence by emphasising "national unity" against domestic or foreign "aggressors". In more open and competitive contexts, the state may control or fund its own outlet and is in competition with opposition-controlled and/or independent media. The state media usually have less government control in more open societies and can provide more balanced coverage than media outside of state control.
State media outlets usually enjoy increased funding and subsides compared to private media counterparts, but this can create inefficiency in the state media. However in the People's Republic of China, where state control of the media is high, levels of funding have been reduced for state outlets, which have forced the Party media to sidestep official restrictions on content or publish "soft" editions, such as weekend editions, to generate income.
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