If old media have impacted on new media via a fairly conservative
presence there, in both developed and developing countries the question
arises as to whether there has been any reverse influence. The general
argument is that there has been some, and that this has some bearing
on press freedom. Thus, there are many cases where the participatory
ethos of new media has encouraged old media to open up to audiences
- (although, understandably, stopping short of transmutating from
mainstream into community media). The main model in the developing
world has been to encourage the use of cellphones for voice and text
contributions. This audience involvement, accelerated by Internet’s
example, can only be good for fostering a culture that values press
freedom more broadly.