Chapter 2: Marxist Analysis Flashcards
What is marxism?
Marxism is both a social theory and a political movement rooted in the idea that “society is the history of class struggles
What is the central premise of marxism?
the mode of production in society (economic structure and practice) determines the social relations of production (class structure)
Def historical materialism
the character of social life to be a reflection of the material conditions that exist at a particular historical juncture
What is the materialist philosophy?
the material world precedes human thought (Marxism)
- Marx believed that materials changed over time so it must be viewed in a historical context
Explain Marx’s base/superstructure model
Economic base ➔ modes of production
- Modes of production consists forces of production (natural resources, land, factories, technologies of prod, and labour power) AND relations of production
the base influences the cultural superstructure ➔ social institutions (family structures, religion, politics, government, law, education, arts, media etc.)
The material conditions of society (the economic base) influences/determines the cultural superstructure that is social consciousness
Explain idealist philosophy
Ideas, not material conditions, determine social existence
Def the profit motive
the continuous desire to increase capital, ideology that drives capitalism
List the 4 patterns of media ownership
Concentration, conglomeration, integration, and multinationalism
Explain concentrated media ownership
Concentrated, meaning that it is owned and controlled by a small group of powerful companies
Oligopolies ➔ reduces competition so hard for start-ups to survive
Once concentrated the remaining companies act more like partners vs competitors
Explain conglomeration media ownership
Conglomeration, the corporate practice of accumulating multiple companies and businesses through start-ups, mergers, buyouts, and takeovers
-parent company owns and controls a host of subsidiary companies
Ex. Disney
Explain integration media ownership
Integration is an ownership pattern in which the subsidiary companies or branches within a corporation are strategically interrelated
- Vertical integration describes a corporation that owns and controls various aspects of production and distribution within a single media industry like publishing or broadcasting
- Horizontal integration/cross-media ownership describes an ownership pattern in which a corporation dominates one stage (or level in the value chain) of the production process (typically at the same level of production, distribution, or exhibition )
Explain multinationalism
Multinationalism, or a corporate presence in multiple countries, allowing for the production and distribution of media products on a global scale
Def strategy
Strategy: assumes a place that can be circumscribed as proper (propre) and thus served as the basis for generating relations with an exterior distinct from it (competitors, adversaries, ‘clientèles,’ ‘targets,’ or ‘objects’ of research)
Def tactics
Tactics: the everyday practices used by the “weak” to resist domination
List the 5 key strategies of profit maximization
Synergy, planned obsolescence, the logic of safety, celebrity and spectacle, and joint ventures
Def synergy
Synergy, or the involvement of multiple subsidiary companies in the cross-development, production, and distribution of a media brand for the purpose of “exploiting it for all the profit possible.”
- possible because of horizontal integration
Def planned obsolencene
Planned obsolescence “is a business strategy in which the obsolescence (the process of becoming obsolete – that is, unfashionable or no longer usable) of a product is planned and built into it from its conception
Technological obsolescence and psychological obsolescence
Def logic of safety
Logic of safety, which is based on two principles: the belief that “nothing succeeds like success” and the idea that “change” is financially risky.
o Risk avoidance
3 basic arts of imitation: sequels, remakes, and spin-offs
Def celebrity
Celebrity refers to “those people who are well known for their well-knownness.
Def spectacle
Spectacle describes the media’s obsession with the sensational and arresting, scandalous and shocking dimensions of a situation or context
Def hyper-spectacles
Hyper-spectacles: when celebrity and spectacle collide
Low-cost to produce and captures attention for long times = profit generating machines
Def joint venture
Joint ventures to reduce financial risks ➔ media conglomerates split the costs of a new venture
Def advertising
Advertising is a form of communication and marketing designed to persuade audiences to feel and/or behave a certain way toward a product, service, or corporate brand, and it plays a central role in media industry profits
Def measured advertising spending
- Measured advertising spending typically includes expenditures for network and cable TV, consumer magazines, newspapers, internet, radio, and outdoor (billboards, benches, etc.)
Def unmeasured advertising spending
- Unmeasured advertising spending often includes expenditures for direct mail, telemarketing, and catalogues
Def product placement
product placements: charge companies to promote their products by high- lighting labels and name brands, or simply having characters mention a brand
Niche marketing
Niche marketing is the targeting of a specific segment of the public that shares particular, but known demographic traits such as age, sex, income, etc
Narrowcasting vs broadcasting
Narrowcasting as a way of distinguishing it from broadcasting, a model that targeted a large, anonymous, and undifferentiated audience
List the consequences of ownership patterns and profit maximization
Reduction of diversity, restriction of democracy, spread of cultural imperialism
Explain reduction of diversity
Concentration ➔ restricts competition
Integration ➔ dev of only some projects
Logic of safety ➔ limits creativity
All together = homogenization of media
False consciousness, the belief that the masses are duped into blindly accepting the prevailing ideology, their criticisms of standardization are not entirely without merit.
Explain restriction of democracy
Democracy is premised on the notion of egalitarianism, the free and open exchange of ideas, and the participation of diverse publics ➔ decline of democratic ideals
Gatekeeping is a filtering practice that determines what makes it into the media and what does not
Agenda-setting refers to the power of the media to influence what people are concerned with or care about ➔ focusing
Framing describes the viewpoint or perspective that is employed by the news and entertainment media when covering social and political issues ➔ structuring
Explain cultural imperialism
Cultural imperialism describes the exporting of US values and ideologies around the globe, usually to the detriment of local culture and national sovereignty
- inward flow is so much greater than the outward flow that over time it causes cultural erosion in poorer countries with less-developed media industries
