Normative Theories – Four Theories of the Press 
Introduction:  
Normative theories were first proposed by Fred Siebert, Theodore Peterson and Wilbur Schramm in their book called “Four Theories of the Press”. At first the word “Normative Theory” was pronounced in USA during the height of „cold war‟ with communism and soviet. Often it called as western theories of mass media. 
A Normative theory describes an ideal way for a media system to be controlled and operated by the government, authority, leader and public. These theories are basically different from other communication theories because normative theories of press are not providing any scientific explanations or prediction.  At the same these “four theories of the press” were came from many sources rather than a single source.  Sometimes media practitioners, social critics and academics also involved to develop these normative theories. 
Normative theories are more focused in the relationship between Press and the Government than press and the audience. These theories are more concern about the ownership of the media and who controls the press or media in the country. 
The four theories of the Press/Media  
 Authoritarian theory  Libertarian theory  Social responsibility theory  Soviet media theory  
Few questions will helps to understand the needs of the normative theories  
1. Is media can published or broadcast any type‟s of content will earn more profits in a shortest time? (think about Yellow journalism / Talbots ) 2. Is media can provide any public service even if no immediate profits can be earned? 3. Is media can participate in any issues and solving the social problems? 4. Is it essential for media to protect the consumers from the culprits, business frauds and corrupt bureaucrats by serving as a watch dog? 5. What people expect from media during the time of crisis? 6. Is media should broadcast the highly rated content even if it has high level of violence? 7. Is a newspaper publishing the unethical business content to encourage the company for its higher advertisements pay?  
These questions are linked and concerned about the media day-to-day activities. 
Authoritarian Theory Authoritarian theory describe that all forms of communications are under the control of the governing elite or authorities or influential bureaucrats. 
Authoritarians are necessary to control the media to protect and prevent the people from the national threats through any form communication (information or news). The press is an instrument to enhance the ruler‟s power in the country rather than any threats. The authorities have all rights to permit any media and control it by providing license to the media and make certain censorship. 
If any media violate the government policies against license, then the authority has all right to cancel the license and revoke it. The government have all right to restrict any sensitive issues from press to maintain peace and security in the nation. 
Censorship: Censorship is a suppression of any communication which may consider as harmful to the people, King, government and its nation. Especially these censorship methods are much familiar in press which against the freedom of speech and freedom of expression. In some other cases, the censorship helps to protect the rulers and authorities from sensitive issues. There are different types of censors like 
 Political censor  Moral censor  Religious censor  Military censor  Corporate censor  
Examples of Authoritarian theory:   
For right Nikolai Yezhov, standing near Stalin was removed from this photograph after he shot dead in 1940. These types of censors are common during Stalin’s reign.  

 Here, Journalist or any media persons should not have any rights to comment, discriminate or stand against the government. Sometimes, an authority gives considerable freedom to minority thoughts and cultural issues to promote them if it doesn‟t make any threats to authority or ruler.  King – King is the authority, who has all rights to control the communication and no one can question against the king.  Dictatorship – During the world war II Hitler and Mussolini are the two major authorities who controlled the press in Germany and Italy. Press was under the control of the authority and No press can‟t question against or publish against these two dictators.  Few countries blocked wiki leaks website from its country to maintain the internal security because the wiki leaks are not ready to compromise with government censorship and realising classified documents against the government.  
Libertarian Theory The Libertarian theory is one of the “Normative theories of press”. The theory which is originally came from libertarian thoughts from 16th century in Europe. The libertarian theorists are against the authoritarian thoughts. International trade and urbanization undermine the power of a rural aristocracy which leads various social movements raise includes the Protestants reformation, that demands individual‟s freedom and their own lives and free thoughts. Liberalism means information is knowledge and knowledge is power. Libertarianism is free from any authority or any control or censorship. The libertarianism is an idea of individualism and limited government which is not harmful to another. 
Libertarian theory sees people are more enough to find and judge good ideas from bad. The theory says people are rational and their rational thoughts lead them to find out what are good and bad. The press should not restrict anything even a negative content may give knowledge and can make better decision whilst worst situation. The libertarian thoughts are exactly against or opposite to the authoritarian theory which means the authoritarian theory says “all forms of communication works under the control of government or elite like king”. 
Strength and Weakness: 1. Freedom of press will give more freedom to media to reveal the real thing happening in the society without any censorship or any authority blockades. 2. Is reliable with U.S media traditions. 3. It gives more values for individuals to express their thoughts in media. 4. Theory excessively positive about media‟s willing to meet responsibilities which may leads people into negative aspects. 5. Is too positive about individual ethics and rationality. 6. Ignores need for reasonable control of media. 7. Ignores dilemmas posed by conflicting freedoms.  
Example: Wiki leaks website published all sorts of confidential or restricted files in public space and especially classified documents. These articles are providing brief knowledge about the government and its activities which helps people to identify what is happening in the society and its gives great choices to elect a better president in future. 
Sometimes these documents may work against the government and its authority that is why most of the country is not willing to allow libertarian thoughts because it may affect their power and kingdom.