Marxism

Question 1

Cornford and Robins

Answer 1

• Argue that digital communication is an extension of existing forms of media which can lead to greater inequality and the spread of capitalist ideas.
• The people who own and create the digital media are capitalist who want to make profit and ideologically control the masses. E.g. Rupert Murdoch owning 1/5 of the UK news.

Question 2

How does media convergence support the argument that new forms of media benefit the bourgeoisie?

Answer 2

• Media convergence simply refers to the merging of different types of mass media such as Traditional Media, Print Media, Broadcast media, New Media and the Internet as well as portable and highly interactive technologies through digital media platforms. The most popular examples of Media Convergence are: Smartphones , Online Radio, E-books.
• Marxists argue that those who own the media also control it.
  The media is owned by members of the bourgeoisie: very wealthy business owners. They argue that these bourgeoisie owners instruct editors and journalists to put across particular messages to the audience. These messages spread the dominant ideology which seeks to justify the power and privilege of the bourgeoisie.

Question 3

Evaluating traditional Marxist views

Answer 3

One criticism of traditional Marxist theories of the ownership and control of the media comes from neo-Marxists, who point out that the bourgeoisie owners of media companies do not have time to manage media content. Traditional Marxists suggest the owners have a clear political view and a clear set of economic interests and ensure that their media companies project those views and disseminates an ideology that supports their interests. But in reality, owners can have so many business interests that they can really only control the big picture, leaving real control of media content down to editors. Even the editors of large publications or programmes cannot control everything and give some autonomy to their journalists.

Question 4

De-regulation of the media and digital communication

Answer 4

One part of the critical argument has been the apparent lack of regulation in relation to digital communication. Digital communication is mediated by private companies rather than the state means that there are few laws governing its moral responsibilities. Marxists would also argue that the internet and digital forms of communication are yet another method of surveillance, a form of subtle observations as a way to control and regulate people. There is also little economic incentive for protecting vulnerable groups such as children and women online, little is done to prevent their exploitation. Marxists suggest that the internet and digital communication is a way of entertaining people which presents no real threat to the existing capitalist society.

Question 5

Digital communication provides a new form of surveillance

Answer 5

There have been recent concerns over the monitoring of personal digital communication between individuals by the state. Private companies gather information on people’s use of social media as well as their consumer habits and their ‘breadcrumbs’, which means their movements around the internet , often without the knowledge or consent of the person who is being monitored.

Question 6

Cornford and Robin

Answer 6

• Argue that digital communication is simply a way of capitalism controlling people more subtly through their use of people from extremism or criminal acts. This represents a huge challenge to peoples individual privacy and has caused considerable controversy.

Question 7

Snowden Report

Answer 7

In 2013, NSA specialist Edward Snowden revealed widespread misuse of surveillance of digital forms of communication. He provided evidence that the US British government had been accessing personal and private communication claiming that it was in the interests of national security.

Question 8

Evaluation

Answer 8

Marxism are pessimistic about the role in digital communication, arguing that it simply offers a new and more sophisticated way for the ruling class to ideologically control and watch the working class masses. According to Marxists and media companies alike use their position to manipulate people into accepting society as it is.