MEDIA - What is the Pluralist View on Ownership? Flashcards
What Sociologist (who is NOT a Pluralist) described why we should study Pluralism?
Doyle!
(DOYLE) What does 3 Reasons does Doyle give as to why we should study Pluralism, in terms of the Concentration of Ownership?
- Concentration should be studied TO ENSURE THAT MEDIA is DIVERSE and a PLURALIST VIEW is HEARD!
- Concentration of media ownership is DANGEROUS, as ABUSES of POWER HAPPEN and can GO UNNOTICED!
- Concentration of ownership is a THREAT TO DEMOCRACY!
In terms of the Pluralist Argument, do they argue that power is spread amongst a WIDE VARIETY OF INTERESTS and INDIVIDUALS and that there is NO MONOPOLY OF POWER?
TRUE - Yes they do argue this! They believe that newspapers in society are reflective of the make-up of differnet idoelogies, opinions and ideas in society –> Democratic Mirror and a Market Model!
In terms of the Pluralist Argument, what do they argue about Journalists?
They argue that Journalists have professional and editorial honestly and independence!
They select a wide selection and variety of views, using news values to maintain and satisfy their audience!
What do Pluralists believe drives Media Content: Is it IDEOLOGY or is it PROFIT?
They believe that PROFIT drives Media Content –> They say that the competition and fight for Profit though high circulation and audience figures is at the forefront of Media Content.
They say that there is NOT a drive by a DOMINANT IDEOLOGY or POLITICAL INTERESTS of OWNERS!
TRUE OR FALSE: Pluralists believe that there is a NARROW RANGE of NEWSPAPERS, TV SHOWS etc and there are NONE that CHALLENGE the DOMINANT IDEOLOGY!
FALSE = Pluralists believe that there is a WIDE RANGE of NEWSPAPERS, TV SHOWS (and Magazines, Websites and Ideas) and there are SOME that CHALLENGE the DOMINANT IDEOLOGY!
Where do Pluralists believe the control lies in regards to Media: With the CONSUMER or with OWNERS?
With the CONSUMER! They believe that the Consumer can easily choose what they want to read and watch; owners then respond to the audience’s tastes and wishes, as they are FOLLOWING the MONEY and the PROFIT!
What do Pluralists say prevents Owners from dominating the media?
COMPETITION and VARIETY IN MEDIA CONTENT –> They say that this PROHIBITS one type of DOMINANT IDEOLOGY!
TRUE OR FALSE: Pluralists say that regulators PREVENT Owner Dominance!
TRUE!
Do Pluralists (in terms of Media) believe that Concentration of Ownership is the Problem?
NO!
What 5 things do Pluralists say are the POSITIVES regarding the Media?
- The Market Model
- Democratic Mirror
- PSBs
- State Control
- Media Professionalism
Describe the Market Model.
Pluralists argue that the free market and the PURSUIT of PROFIT is always going to TRIUMPH THE IDEA that media corporations are a means by which OWNERS could IMPOSE their POLITICAL WILL ON AUDIENCES and CONSUMERS!
They say that CONSUMERS of MEDIA HOLD the REAL POWER –> This is because they can exercise CONSUMER SOVEREIGNTY and HAVE the FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY BUY and WHAT THEY DO NOT BUY –> This can cause the COMPANIES that they DO NOT BUY FROM to GO OUT OF BUSINESS!
OVERALL = They believe that OWNERS are DRIVEN BY PROFIT and MONEY; CONSUMERS HAVE the POWER to MAKE COMPANIES they DO NOT LIKE GO OUT of BUSINESS!
Describe what is meant by the Democratic Mirror!
Pluralists claim that the RANGE of PRODUCTS FROM the MEDIA are DIVERSE and that this MEANS THAT ALL POINTS OF VIEW in a DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY are CATERED FOR BY the MEDIA.
They say that, as ALL DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS HAVE MEDIA COVERAGE, it is NOT BIASED IF ONE VIEWPOINT is REPRESENTED MORE THAN the OTHERS, as THEY ARE ALL REPRESENTED; the ONE VIEWPOINT THAT HAS The MOST REPRESENTATION IS MIRRORING WHAT the MASS AUDIENCE WANT TO SEE!
EG: If they MAJORITY OF UK NEWSPAPERS are CONCERNED ABOUT CORBYN, many NEWSPAPERS WOULD BE MIRRORING the CONCERNS of UK CITIZENS and START WORRYING ABOUT HOW the UK WOULD SUFFER UNDER CORBYN, in ORDER TO REPRESENT the MASSES!
OVERALL = Pluralists believe that the viewpoints and political leaning that newspapers or the media has in general actually MIRRORS THE MASS / MAJORITY of WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE IN SOCIETY.
EG: They believe that, because there is a Conservative government in power, this must mean that the majority of people in society want the Conservatives in power and support their policies, so this is why the majority of news we seen is right-wing and in their support → However, is this actually true? Is society this democratic and representative?
Describe what PSBs are!
They say that a LARGE SHARE OF the MARKETPLACE is TAKEN UP BY PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTERS (PSBs); these are CONTROLLED BY the STATE and have a WORLDWIDE REPUTATION for IMPARTIALITY; this is IN ORDER TO CATER FOR EVERY OPINION and TASTE.
EG: Channel 4 and the BBC, which was set up in 1926 –> They strive to educate, inform and entertain the full audience spectrum with IMPARTIAL NEWS outlets and sources.
HOWEVER = Some say that the BBC is ABANDONING its PSB STATUS. This is BECAUSE it is LOSING its AUDIENCE to OTHER SOURCES on SATELLITE, such as SKY! The BBC has had to MATCH ITS COMPETITORS by CREATING an INTERNET NEWS SITE and DIGITAL CHANNELS FOR SMARTPHONES!
OVERALL = A form of MEDIA OUTLET that is CONTROLLED BY the STATE and are KNOWN GLOBALLY for their ATTEMPTS TO REMAIN IMPARTIAL in the way the present their information, such as the BBC.
Describe what Pluralists mean by State Control of the Media!
They say that the POWER OF MEDIA OWNERS is RESTRICTED BY STATE OR GOVERNMENT CONTROLS.
EG: In some societies, governments DO NOT ALLOW OWNERS to HAVE and OWN TOO MANY MEDIA OUTLETS or TOO MANY TYPES of MEDIA, IN ORDER to REDUCE the POSSIBILITY THAT their VIEWS WILL BECOME DOMINANT!
In the UK = The BBC and ITV have some FORMAL LEGAL RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED on them by OFCOM - which was set up in 2003 - and MONITORS the QUALITY of TV and RADIO OUTPUT.
