Suppose that you would like to discuss the relationship between the media and corruption in an academic essay using the text extract below. Select the most appropriate paraphrase of the information.
"In democracies, mass media is an important instrument for monitoring the behavior of public officials. In contrast, in countries where governments censor news and suppress electoral institutions, the role of traditional mass media in promoting accountability might be limited" (Enikolopov et al. 2018:150).
Enikolopov, R., Petrova, M. & Sonin, K. 2018. Social Media and Corruption. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 10(1): 150–174.
A. In democratic states, mass media is a very important instrument for checking the behavior of public officials, but in contrast, in countries where governments filter news and suppress electoral commissions, the function of traditional mass media in promoting accountability might be restricted.
B. In democratic countries, mass media may play a crucial role in monitoring authorities, yet in dictatorships, where news is censored and elections are often rigged, the role of the traditional mass media becomes virtually useless in ensuring accountability (Enikolopov et al. 2018:150).
C. In democracies, mass media is a vital tool for monitoring the conduct of public officials, but in states where governments censor news and suppress voting institutions, the position of traditional mass media in promoting accountability may be limited, and the provision of superior information does not necessarily lead to socially helpful outcomes (Enikolopov et al. 2018:150).
D. While mass media may be helpful monitoring tool in democracies, in countries where news censorship and the suppression of electoral commissions exist, the traditional mass media may not be as effective in ensuring accountability (Enikolopov et al. 2018:150).