Media - Ownership And Control

Question 1

Private and State Ownership
(Murdoch - Private)
(Censored Media - State)

Answer 1

30 years ago there were 4 TV channels
- Globalisation, most countries now share media worldwide rather than state ownership
McPhail - Electronic Colonialism - countries are penetrated by Western Values

Murdoch - Established control over the media by purchasing the “The Sun” and “News of the World”
Now the “Murdoch News Corporation” now owns 800 companies in 50 countries

The State can control media by:
- Censoring Media (China)
- Refusal to give Broadcasting License
- Surveillance
- holding press conferences

OFCOM - work to regulate media and control output

Question 2

The Pluralist Approach to Media - ownership and control
(Media professionalism, James Whale)

Answer 2

Pluralism - There is no dominant ruling class, but many competing groups with different interests.
What is shown on the media is driven by the consumers demand — audience won’t watch something they don’t like

James Whale - Media Owners don’t have time to think about spreading dominant ideology

4 main ideas of Pluralist View:
1) Media Diversity - all viewpoints are catered for - so can’t be bias
2) Public Service Broadcasting - a significant part of media is controlled by the state - (e.g: BBC)
3) State Controls - Media is restricted by this and reduces dominant viewpoints
4) MEDIA PROFESSIONALISM - the professionalism of Journalists means they have too much to lose than spread a dominant ideology

Investigative Journalism - Media can be spread that targets those in power, this suggests that if media is spread by the ruling class, why would they expose themselves? (E.G: Boris party)

Question 3

The Marxist Approach to Media - ownership and control
(Miliband, owners control content)

Answer 3

Miliband Argues that the media plays an important role of spreading dominant ideology
- Climate of Conformity and False Class Consciousness

Assumptions of Marxist Approach:
Instrumental Approach — :
1) Owners have direct control of the content
AO3 - James Whale “don’t have time”
2) Owners aim to spread dominant ideology
AO3 - State Controls “media is restricted”
3) Media managers run content based on boundaries set by the owners
AO3 - Media Professionalism
4) Journalists depend on their job so are happy to spread bias content
AO3 - Investigative Journalism
5) Audiences are passive
AO3 - Media Diversity

Evidence has shown that owners manipulate the content
(Murdoch supporting the war In Iraq)
(Murdoch admitted he has influence over headlines)
HOWEVER
- OFCOM regulates media
- Audiences are active

AO3: Key Theorist:
Curran suggested that media owners are focused on making money, not spreading dominant ideology

Media creates Hegemony (Gramsci) and makes audiences accept dominant viewpoints as the norm
- Journalists support this ideology as they tend to be:
White - m/c and male

GUMG - suggests media does not support capitalist ideas but is a by-product of the backgrounds of journalists

— Agenda Setting - The media decide what issues should be discussed

Question 4

The Postmodernist view of Mass Media
(Baudrillard, Media saturation)

Answer 4

Postmodernism - defines how society has progressed — you have a choice over your identity

Main Arguments
- Media Saturated Society
- Media shapes our consumption
- Media defines our identity
- Media influences brands and logos
- Media Communities

1) Baudrillard - Media Saturation:
Media creates a view of reality that is distorted. “Hyper-reality” refers to AI such as AI developed images that don’t exist

2) Bauman - you are what you buy:
We pick and choose our lifestyle

3) Strinati - emphasis on the importance and power of the media in shaping consumer choice

AO3 - Criticisms
- Ignores power and inequality
- role of the media is over-emphasised