In the Western newsmedia, journalists seem to "search for circulation and profits for their shareholders" at the expense of their commitments to truth and ethics by the pressure to keep bottom lines healthy. Many Asian nations, however, are still fashioning their own democratic systems to fit their cultural, ethical, and moral sensibilities. As a result, most Asian news media exercise 'freedom for the greater good for the nation,' while Western news media tend to exercise freedom at the expense of social accountability.
In intercultural news communication, Xu and others say the idea of Asian values can also be interpreted as a call to challenge or combat against the dominance of Anglo - American cultures, especially the Anglo-American news media dominance in Asia. It is also a call to indigenize communication theories to suit the Asian diversified cultures.
Asia has come to realize that "there is a real need to re-examine Western theories and practices in the light of Asian cultures and tradition," Xu says.
In Asia, where the intercultural news communication is largely dominated by the Western media giants, the communications policies and practices tend to be all oriented to the building and maintenance of the cultural identity of a nation. That provides the rationale for the Advocacy of Asian values in intercultural news communication.
In summary, Xu says "in upholding Asian values in intercultural news communication", Asia needs to take some Western theories and practices in the light of Asian cultural values and traditions. Asia also needs to maintain its own cultural values and unique principles and practices of communication. Only by maintaining their own distinctive principles and practices of communication can Asian news media win their market shares and maintain their national identity and cultural distinctiveness in intercultural news communications." (1)
In the text of the Charter for a Free Press signed by Kofi Annan and WPFC Chairman James H. Ottaway, Jr. Xu's position is challenged:
"A free press means a free people. To this end, the following principles, basic to an unfettered flow of news and information both within and across national borders, deserve the support of all those pledged to advance and protect democratic institutions."
"1. Censorship, direct or indirect, is unacceptable; thus laws and practices restricting the right of the news media freely to gather and distribute information must be abolished, and government authorities, national or local, must not interfere with the content of print or broadcast news, or restrict access to any news sources.
