The Right to Tell: The Role of Mass Media in Economic Development (WBI Development Studies)

An independent press is essential to sound and equitable economic development. The media helps to give a voice to the poor and the disenfranchised. An independent press also provides a solid foundation for a free and transparent society. 'The Right to Tell' contains an outstanding list of contributors from Nobel Prize winner and former World Bank chief economist, Joseph Stiglitz to Robert J. Shiller author of 'Irrational Exuberance', and Nobel Prize winner and novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Contributors to this volume explore the role of the media as a watchdog of government and the corporate sector, and the policies that prevent the media from exercising that role. 'The Right to Tell' assesses the media's function as transmitters of new ideas and information. This book also evaluates the damaging effects that an unethical or irresponsible press can cause to a society. Several of the book's contributors describe the role of the media and the challenges they face in specific countries including Bangladesh, Egypt, the former Soviet Union, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. These fascinating case studies highlight the media's ability to act as a catalyst for change and growth.