Lesson 6 - Marxism and Digital communication

Question 1

What does the Marxist approach argue about new forms of digital communication

Answer 1

• Reinforce & maintain inequalities in society
• Ideologically control people in new & subtle ways

Question 2

Why does the Marxist perspective argue digital communication is not new?

Answer 2

• Different form of other communication

-Effects have been exaggerated by postmodernists & other sociologists

Question 3

What do Cornford and Robins(1999) say about the continuation of power being concentrated in the hands of a few?

Answer 3

• Digital communication presented as new democratic, open communication
  -leading to greater equality
• In reality, people who own/control digital media are capitalists making profits & ideologically control masses

Question 4

How do changes in media reflect power dynamics in wider society according to Bagdikian(2014)

Answer 4

• Media owned by small number of moguls who influence content and organisation
• Moguls have conservative values
• Thereby population is fed with ideals aligned with those in power (conservative)

Question 5

How has media convergence contributed to inequality according to Marxists

Answer 5

• Media has greater platform for shaping people’s ideas
• Encouraging them to accept capitalism
  -not question inequalities that exist

Question 6

What does Fuchs say about digital communication

Answer 6

[ All forms of communication are ideological
-function on behalf of ruling class
-justify class inequality. ]

• Digital social media brings “false consciousness”
• [whereby] Citizens don’t challenge unequal rights of capitalist system
• [since] Digital social media keeps them occupied

Question 7

What is cultural imperialism

Answer 7

[powerful] Foreign culture imposes values, practices, and meanings on native cultures

Question 8

What does Seabrook say about globalisation