Peace and the press: media bolster social cohesion.

• Author: Bailey, Ronald
• Position: Citings - Brief article

DOES A FREE press enhance social peace? According to Sudeshna Pal, an economist at the Georgia College and State University, the answer is yes.

In a paper published in the spring issue of the journal Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, Pal analyzed data from 98 countries. Her goal: to see if there were statistically significant correlations between press freedom and seven measures of instability, including ethnic tensions, external and internal conflicts, crime and disorder, military participation in government, and religious tensions. An increase in press freedom, she concluded, reduces all seven measures of instability. Pal also noted that state ownership of media is associated with higher corruption, weaker civil liberties, insecure...