"In the transitional states of South East Asia, an alternative media helped mobilize support for popular uprisings against authoritarian rule. In a democratizing context which promoted press freedom, joumalists emphasized their role as ‘watchdogs‘, striving to ensure that new political leaders d
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id not betray the ideals of that anti-dictatorship movement. This media watchdog attitude in transitional South East Asia has not always been conducive to democratic stability, however. Press-based anti-corruption campaigns have sometimes had destabilizing effects. In weakly institutionalized transitional systems, harsh and sustained criticism of the moral integrity of a sitting president or prime minister and their inner circle have helped mobilize large civilian protests that in turn provided justification for the rapid removal of the executive or even military intervention against elected leaders, resulting in illiberal ‘people power‘ coups." (Page 277)
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"In this chapter, we explore the role of the media in the context of Africa's broader democratization trends through an examination of three main areas: the media as political actors in conflict; the challenge of looking beyond formal state structures to informal governance in order to better unders
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tand the structure of the media and its relationship to centres of power, including ethnic or religious allegiances; and [...] the attempts of Africa's leaders to offer an alternative 'theory' about the role of media in democratization in conflict and postconflict societies." (Page 290)
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