Mass medias and their political role
Key-term : Mass medias
« Medias » comes from the latin « media » that designs all means of communication ; such as printing press, radio, television, Internet... There has been a mediatic revolution in Europe, and specially en France, since the end of the XIX th century, which accompanied the birth of the Republic and its main political crisis, at is allowed the expression of the public opinion. In June 29th, 1881, the Law on the Freedom of the Press allowed the liberty of expression though settling its limits such as the prohibition of defamation, against the press offences, incitements to racial hatred or attainment on other's property and public security. This law permitted a greater involvement of the public opinion in major political crisis that happened in France since the end of the XIXth century, such as the following ones I am going to present : the Dreyfus Affair, the Vichy France and the elections of June 2002.
The Dreyfus Affair :
This political crisis illustrates the major role of printing press. At that time, the Jules ferry Laws had increased alphabetisation, so the press became much more accessible to lower classes of society. More newspapers were printed and sold at a far cheaper price ; it was a democratisation of the press. At the time of the Dreyfus Affair, there was a huge debate about secularism ("Laicité"), in which the press involved itself by expressing the public opinion. L'Humanité was more biased on a socialist point of view whereas La Croix belonged to the right wing of the political life, though it is really with the Dreyfus Case that the politicisation took place. In November 1rst, 1894, the far right-wing and antisemit newspaper La Libre Parole, accused Captain Alfred Dreyfus, of jewish confession, of having betrayed France by being a spy for Germany. Dreyfus was sentenced to death. But the public opinion was vehemently divided and represented through the press.There was the pro-Army, nationalists
« Medias » comes from the latin « media » that designs all means of communication ; such as printing press, radio, television, Internet... There has been a mediatic revolution in Europe, and specially en France, since the end of the XIX th century, which accompanied the birth of the Republic and its main political crisis, at is allowed the expression of the public opinion. In June 29th, 1881, the Law on the Freedom of the Press allowed the liberty of expression though settling its limits such as the prohibition of defamation, against the press offences, incitements to racial hatred or attainment on other's property and public security. This law permitted a greater involvement of the public opinion in major political crisis that happened in France since the end of the XIXth century, such as the following ones I am going to present : the Dreyfus Affair, the Vichy France and the elections of June 2002.
The Dreyfus Affair :
This political crisis illustrates the major role of printing press. At that time, the Jules ferry Laws had increased alphabetisation, so the press became much more accessible to lower classes of society. More newspapers were printed and sold at a far cheaper price ; it was a democratisation of the press. At the time of the Dreyfus Affair, there was a huge debate about secularism ("Laicité"), in which the press involved itself by expressing the public opinion. L'Humanité was more biased on a socialist point of view whereas La Croix belonged to the right wing of the political life, though it is really with the Dreyfus Case that the politicisation took place. In November 1rst, 1894, the far right-wing and antisemit newspaper La Libre Parole, accused Captain Alfred Dreyfus, of jewish confession, of having betrayed France by being a spy for Germany. Dreyfus was sentenced to death. But the public opinion was vehemently divided and represented through the press.There was the pro-Army, nationalists