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 * The Public Sphere


 * "A portion of the public sphere comes into being in every conversations in which private individuals assemble to form a public body." (Habermas, p. 350). We as citizens make up a public body when we act in an unrestricted fashion- meaning we are given the freedom of association and assembly and are ableto express our opinions freely. The media that make up the public sphere today are newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Through these mediums the public is free to express opinions of interest and this further facilitates the feeling of a large pubic community.

According to Habermas, the role of the media in the public sphere is quite problematic. Questions have arisen about the media such as television and newspaper being a source for political criticism and debate. In the modern political life, democrasy is viewed as the dominant ideology. However, there is an increasing gap between deomocraxy and practice that many are forces to ask "Are we able to believe even in the possibility of a role of mass communication in the furtherance of democratic ideals?" (Blumer and Guervitch).


 * References:**

Webster, Frank, Raimo Blom, Erkki Karvonen, Harri Melin, Karrle Nordenstreng, and Puoskari Ensio. __The Information Society Reader__. 2nd ed. London: Rouledge Student Readers, 2002. 350-356.