pluralism Flashcards
1
Q
summary of pluralist views: ownership and control
A
controlled by the market (market model)
2
Q
summary of pluralist views: media messages/ content
A
what the audience want, they have control as a result
3
Q
summary of pluralist views: effects of media on individuals
A
can accept or reject messages which dictates content produced
4
Q
the market model
A
media companies care more about profit than pushing political agendas
5
Q
democratic mirror
A
- the media is so diverse that all points of view in a democratic society are created for
- if some have more media representation this is not necessarily biased
- mirrors what the audience want and see as important
6
Q
PSB
A
- take up significant share of the media market:
- controlled by the state
- worldwide reputation for impartiality
- cater for every conceivable taste and option
- they see PSBs as the epitome of impartial, unbiased media and the counterweight to any bias in the private sector
-BBC royal charter, reithian values
7
Q
state control in media
A
- power of media owners is restricted by this
- restrict the ownership of many types of media so one viewpoint doesn’t become too dominant
- OFCOM complaints
- a combination of audience and regulator prevents biased content imposed
8
Q
media professionalism
A
- editorswould never allow owners to compromise their independence
- journalisrs have too much integrity to be regularly biased in favour of 1 viewpoint
- the media have a strong tradition of investigative journalism
- UK newspapers have forced politicians to resign from office
- Washington post -> watergate scandal -> Nixon resigned in 1972 -> people found out he authorised tugging of opponent’s offices
9
Q
Online safety act 2023
A
- ofcom is the enforcer
- most businesses will need to:
- assess the risk of harm from illegal content, including harm to children
- make it easy for users to complain, including when they think their post has been unfairly removed/account blocked
- consider the importance of protecting freedom of expresion and the right to privacy when implementing safety measures
10
Q
online safety act 2023- good enough?
A
- doesn’t protect against fake news- domino effect in society
- falls short in hateful but non illegal content (dogwhistle), and misleading content that still causes harm
- no AI protection
11
Q
Problems with the pluralist view
A
- Curran plenty of evidence that owners have undermined independence- editors and journalists have been fired for not agreeing with the owner
- Blumler and Gurevich the public don’t trust journalists since they use official sources from police and politicians
- Trowler 500 journalists went to Iraq in 1990s w/ troops = distorted one sided press to viewers
- how much choice? digital divide, powerless groups have less choice (marxist + neo marxists suggest is is an illusion and media creates false needs)
12
Q
what is pluralism?
A
- focused on the range of media sources that are availible and how these cater to the needs of the audience
- argue that media ownership is diverse and that different viewpoints are represented within the media based on market demand
- content of media is based on rational economics- in order to maximise audience, content must reflect their preferences
