Media: Ownership and Control Flashcards
Definition of traditional media
Communicates uniform messages in one-way processes to assumed homogenous audiences.
Definition of new media
Screen-based, digital technology. Integration of images, text, sound, etc.
Who theorised 5 new media aspects?
Lister
What were listers 5 new media aspects?
Digitality Interactivity Hypertextuality Dispersal Virtuality
Explain digitality (Lister)
Numeral data stored/distributed via technology.
Explain interactivity (Lister)
Consumers can engage/interact with media, creating own material, customising material with greater choice.
Ie. Sharing/tweeting
Explain hypertextuality (Lister)
Links that form a web of connections to information. Users can search, interact and customise media for own use.
Ie. Google/hyperlinks
Explain dispersal (Lister)
Media has become less centralised and more adapted to individual choice. Huge growth of media products which have become a part of everyday life.
Explain virtuality (Lister)
Various ways people can immerse themselves in unreal interactive experiences in virtual worlds. Imaginary identities.
Ie. Gaming/dating
Name and explain two formal controls of media
Laws of Libel (forbids publication of untrue statements encouraging ridicule)
Race Relations Act (forbids expression of opinions encouraging discrimination)
Suggest two implications of ownership concentration
Socialisation with similar/singular viewpoints.
Smaller companies struggle to survive.
Name the three approaches to new media
1) The Manipulative Approach
2) The Hegemonic Approach
3) The Pluralist Approach
What sociological group is behind the manipulative approach?
Traditional Marxists
What does the manipulative approach suggest about owner control of media?
Owners directly control media content by manipulating content and audience.
What does the manipulative approach suggest about the media and control apparatus?
Media is included in the ISA (ideological state apparatus) which promotes false class consciousness.
What does the manipulative approach suggest about the media’s place in society?
Media is part of society’s superstructure which is determined by the economy.
What did Curran and Seaton find evidence of regarding media (the manipulative approach)?
Evidence that media owners DID interfere with media content at expense of independence of journalists.
Supporting evidence for manipulative approach (Rupert Murdoch)
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Rupert Murdoch argued for Iraq war- no coincidence that 175 newspapers backed him.
Supporting evidence for manipulative approach: what did David Yelland suggest about a journalists journey?
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Suggested that journalists become socialised to ask themselves “what would Rupert (or owner) think?” when deciding on media content.
What would pluralists argue against the manipulative approach?
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Argue that there is a wide range of opinions in media to please large audiences and protect profits.
Supporting evidence for manipulative approach: what did Miliband say about the dominant group using mass media as a tool?
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Used to control the masses and convince them that widespread inequalities are inevitable within capitalist society. Media is new opium (drug) of the people.
Undermining view of manipulative approach regarding audiences?
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Audiences are not as easily manipulated and gullible as approach suggests. People can reject or interpret media as they wish.
What sociologist group is behind the hegemonic approach?
Neo-Marxists
Do Neo-Marxists (hegemonic approach) also believe that the media is a tool used by the dominant class?
Yes
What is the key difference between the manipulative and the hegemonic approach to mass media?
Key difference is view on the influence of media owners. Neo-Marxists suggest media owners have less direct control upon everyday content, instead this is selected by media professionals.
What does degree of autonomy mean?
Aspect of independence
What are news values?
Assumption or criteria journalists use to decide what is ‘news worthy’
How does the hegemonic approach suggest journalists create personal news values?
Successful false class consciousness to agree with dominant ideology.
Supporting hegemonic: name and describe one example of gate keeping
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Glasgow Media Group 2011 riots: more coverage on the damage caused than WHY people were rioting.
Supporting hegemonic: what does this approach recognise about media content?
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Recognises that there can be a range of media content to attract audiences but majority is in the interest of the ruling class.
Undermining hegemonic:
What does this approach underestimate?
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Underestimates the power and influence of owners via promotion and dismissal.
Undermining hegemonic:
What two methods used by media professionals suggest a direct manipulation of audience?
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Gate-keeping
Agenda setting
Undermining hegemonic: who studied media coverage of Global Financial Crisis in 2012?
Phill (2012)
Undermining hegemonic: what did Philo find when studying media coverage of global financial crisis in 2012?
What methods of control does this show?
Media only broadcasted solutions presented by the three main government groups.
Agenda setting and gate keeping.
What is the one consensus approach to mass media?
Pluralist approach.
What do pluralists suggest about groups/class in society?
There is no dominant or ruling class, but numerous groups competing with different interests.
What does the pluralist approach suggest about media control and ownership?
Owners do not directly control media content. What appears in the media is driven by consumer wishes.
What does the pluralist approach suggest about bias in the media?
Any bias presented in the media merely reflects audience interests.
Supporting pluralist:
What does this approach recognise about influences on media content?
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Recognises the range of pressures that influence media content to ensure ideological domination does not take place.
Supporting pluralist: what shows that there is a range of interests presented in media?
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Wide range of newspapers, magazines and TV channels.
Undermining pluralist: what does it not recognise about different groups in society?
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Not all groups in society have equal influence on editors and journalists to get their views across and protect their interests.
Undermining pluralist:
What groups/individuals in society have more power over media content and how do they use it?
☹️☹️☹️
Governments and rich individuals. Use political or legal pressure to stop stories that threaten their interests.
Supporting pluralist: what does this approach recognise about ownership and control?
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Recognises that ownership and control are detached ie Murdoch could not contact each individual media employee to control their work.
Undermining pluralist: what would Marxists argue about the social reality that this approach demands that the media reflects?
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Argues that the ‘social reality’ presented is actually created by the media through desire and distorts social reality.
What is vertical integration?
When a media company controls every stage of media production ie makes and broadcasts TV programmes.
What is horizontal integration?
Where an organisation develops by buying up competitors in same section of market. Ie Disney brought Pixar.
What is cross media ownership?
When a company owns a range of media forms such as TV and newspapers.
What is a media conglomerate?
An organisation that owns a large number of companies in various mass media platforms ie TV, radio, publishing.
What is gate keeping?
The power of some people/organisations to limit access to information.
What is agenda setting?
Media’s influence over the issues people think about because the list of subjects for public discussion is laid down by the mass media.
