It therefore follows that in autocratic societies where civil liberties, such as the freedom
of the press and other forms of free expression, are curtailed through political
regulation are countries less likely to demonstrate political change (Ali, 2005).
Limited guarantees of civil liberties can therefore also be positioned as a constraint
on not only the level of media development but also the potential for demonstrable
effects in relation to media diffusion and use. Reciprocally, more democratic societies
with greater guarantees of civil liberties are theoretically more likely to demonstrate
political change as a result of media development because of greater information
flows and more vital, accessible discursive public spheres that are engendered by
functional democracies