Ownership And Control Of The Media

Question 1

What is Bagdikians 8 features of media ownership?

Answer 1

Concentration of ownership
Vertical integration
Horizontal integration
Global ownership
Conglomeration and diversification
Global conglomeration
Synergy
Technological convergence

Question 2

What is Ofcom?

Answer 2

Office of commmuncations: media regulator that tries to -
-further interest of consumers
- secure best use of the radio spectrum
- protect the public from harmful broadcasts of media

Question 3

What are the 2 main types of media?

Answer 3

Traditional - non-digital, large audiences, non-interactive
New Media - Digital, screen-based, internet for distribution

Question 4

Issues with the concentration of media ownership and control

Answer 4

Limits freedom of speech as only a few organisations can deliver news
Means media org’s can pick and choose what sort of media we see (agenda-setting)

Question 5

What is pluralism?

Answer 5

A conalition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles, sources of authority

Question 6

Pluralist view of the media (simple)

Answer 6

Media organisations produce content that the audience find interesting
The most popular media organisations are the most powerful

Question 7

Pluralist view of journalists

Answer 7

Journalists are not forced to follow any ideology and will stick to journalist values

Question 8

Criticisms of pluralists:

Answer 8

How much choice do we really have?
Are the audience intelligent enough to work out good quality news?

Question 9

Instrumentalist/ Marxist view of the media

Answer 9

Bourgeoisie owners instruct editors and journalists to spread the dominant ideology - therefore creating a false class consciousness

Question 10

Examples of Marxist influence on editors (Murdoch)

Answer 10

Murdoch was arguing for a war in Iraq and influenced his 175 newspapers in backing his argument

Question 11

Leveson inquiry (government influenced)

Answer 11

John Major (former prime minister) suggested that Murdoch made it clear that if he didn’t change his views on the EU he would change who his newspapers supported - blackmailing

Question 12

Evaluations of an instrumentalist apporoach

Answer 12

Pluralists would argue people have a view and can pick what type of media you want to see

Question 13

Neo-Marxist view of the Media

Answer 13

Owners, editors and journalists support capitalist system because they are seen as ‘common sense’ - usually white middle-class

Question 14

How much of the countries lead new journalists were educated in private schools?

Answer 14

Over half - 54%

Question 15

Neo-Marxist view of journalists

Answer 15

Journalists and editors support the dominant ideology out of choice - they see it as ‘common-sense’