Principles for contemporary media and communications policymaking

This project explores policy principles that should guide contemporary media and communications policymaking in democratic settings. It seeks to articulate coherent statements of principles to inform the development of policy and policy objectives. The project also provides consistency across varying issues and actions by defining fundamental criteria that can be used in policy decisions.

Many existing policies cannot respond to rapid technological, economic, political, and social developments because they are not clearly founded in policy principles. Fundamental principles, however, can remain constant and provide guidance on how to respond to new concerns and challenges and make appropriate policy choices. The project steps back from specific policy measures to articulate principles that are relevant and applicable to a wide range of media and communications platforms, infrastructures, and activities addressed at the national, regional, and global levels.

The purpose is to help policy advocates and regulators think at a more principled level and link policy mechanisms and tools to normative foundations rather than merely seeking an immediate problem solution. The project will be completed in late 2016, with publication of results expected in early 2017.

Project Directors:

Robert G. Picard, Reuters Institute, University of Oxford

Victor Pickard, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania