Media transparency

Media transparency (or transparent media), sometimes also referred to as media opacity, is a concept that ponders on how and why information subsidies are being produced, distributed and handled by media professionals, including journalists, editors, public relations practitioners, public affairs specialists, and spokespeople. In short, media transparency reflects the relationship between journalists and news sources. Media transparency (or transparent media), sometimes also referred to as media opacity, is a concept that ponders on how and why information subsidies are being produced, distributed and handled by media professionals, including journalists, editors, public relations practitioners, public affairs specialists, and spokespeople. In short, media transparency reflects the relationship between journalists and news sources. Media transparency deals with the openness and accountability of the media and can be defined as a transparent exchange of information subsidies based on the ideas of newsworthiness. Media transparency is one of the biggest challenges of contemporary everyday media practices around the world as media outlets and journalists constantly experience pressures from advertisers, information sources, publishers, and other influential groups. News sources may influence what information is published or not published. Sometimes, published information can also be paid for by news sources, but the end media product (an article, a program, a blog post) does not clearly indicate that the message has been paid or influenced in any way. Such media opacity, or media non-transparency, ruins the trust and transparency between the media and the public and have implications for transparency of new forms of advertising and public relations (such as native advertising and brand journalism). Media transparency is a normative concept and is achieved when: 1) there are many competing sources of information; 2) the method of information delivery is known; and 3) funding of media production is disclosed and publicly available. The concept of media bribery emerged in response to claims of bias in media, and the lack of media transparency can be perceived as a form of corruption. Media transparency is a means to diminish unethical and illegal practices in the relationships between news sources and the media.