Topic 2: Ownership and control of the media

Question 1

What does Bagdikian 2004 say about concentration of media ownership?

Answer 1

Argues that if USA media was owned by different companies there would be 25,000 owners. By 2014, media ownership in USA concentrated by only 6 cooperations.

Question 2

Who are considered the big 6 media conglomerates in the USA?

Answer 2

Comcast, Disney, 21st Century Fox/ Newscorp, Time Warner, Viacom and CBS corp

Question 3

What does Curran (2003) say about the British newspaper industry?

Answer 3

There has been similar concentration of ownership in the British newspaper industry.
1937- 4 men owned national and local newspapers
2015- 7 individuals dominate ownership.

Question 4

Define Horizontal integration.

Answer 4

When large media companies own various types of media, for example, Newscorp owning newspaper companies, publishing houses and film studios.

Question 5

Define Vertical intergration.

Answer 5

Where one company owns all stages of media production, for example companies owning film studios and the cinemas where the films are shown.

Question 6

Define Lateral Expansion/ Diversification.

Answer 6

When media companies branch out into non media companies/new business areas. For example Virgin media selling insurance and train surfaces.

Question 7

Define Global Conglomeration.

Answer 7

Where media companies operate in the global market, for example Newscorp owning loads of different. types of media companies across. Asia, Europe and North America.

Question 8

Define Synergy.

Answer 8

Where a media product is sold in several different forms, often as a form of marketing. For example a film will be accompanied with a soundtrack album, toys etc.

Question 9

What is Technical Convergence.

Answer 9

Where several unrelated technologies are put in one media system. For example having music, films etc on one device.

Question 10

What is Doyle (2002) suggest about why we study media ownership?

Answer 10

It is important for societies to have a pluralistic media provision. If concentration of media ownership occurs in society there is danger that abuse of power will go unnoticed and democracy will suffer.

Question 11

What is the pluralist theory?

Answer 11

Modern capitalist society is democratic. All groups are given a media platform to express views on. The mass media is seen as essential and impartial facilitators of this ideal, as most people gain political knowledge from the media.

Question 12

What do Pluralists say about the audience who consume media?

Answer 12

Readers, viewers and listeners are the real power holders because they exercise consumer sovereignty. If they do not like a media advertised product, they will not buy and the media will go out of business

Question 13

What do Pluralists say about State Government control of the media?

Answer 13

The power of media owners are restricted by state or government controls. This combination of audience and regulator prevents media owners imposing biased content onto the general public.

Question 14

What do pluralists say about the economic rationality of the media?

Answer 14

The concentration of media is purely economic as it helps to attract larger audiences. This reduces costs and increases ad revenue.

Question 15

What do pluralists say about consumer demand?

Answer 15

Consumers hold the power, what they buy more of / like, they will see more of in the media. The media will advertise things that have more chances of attracting consumers.

Question 16

What do pluralists say about democracy and the media?

Answer 16

The media is an essential source of democracy, as it is the main source of political information that helps the public know who to vote for.

Question 17

What is PSB?

Answer 17

Public Service Broadcasting, they are media outlets controlled by the state. They aim to be impartial and to cater for everyone. The BBC is an example of a PSB.

Question 18

What do pluralists think about PSB?

Answer 18

They see PSB as impartial and objective media. They are a counterweight to any bias that might occur in the private sector of media.

Question 19

What do pluralists think about media professionalism?

Answer 19

Believe journalists have too much integrity to be biased and compromise the media. The media has a strong tradition of investigative journalism which has targeted those in power. Eg. Watergate.

Question 20

What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about media professionalism?

Answer 20

Curran- Owners employ journalists that conform to their views, which makes them biased.
Trowler (2004)- Journalists become biased by forming relationships/attachments with their subject.

Question 21

What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about consumer demand?

Answer 21

Blumler and Gurevitch (1995)- Surveys of general public show they don’t trust journalists, If there is no communication between the two, how does the media know what consumers want?
It’s hard for the public/consumers to know what they want to see if the media is their only source of information.

Question 22

What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about state government control/regulation?

Answer 22

Thornham (2007)- Feminists dismissed by journalists as too extreme. Journalists do not want to express radical views in the media as they fear regulators shutting them down.
Regulators are getting too strict and protective over the media and limiting what opinions consumers get to see.

Question 23

What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about essential parts of democracy.

Answer 23

Powerless groups do not have resources to set up media companies to communicate their points of view. Means Consumers do not have a diversity of opinions to choose from. Some views may be seen as too ‘radical’ or ‘extreme’.

Question 24

What is the overall Marxist theory?

Answer 24

Capitalists exploit the W/C for their own economic gain. They use Ideological strategies such as ISA and RSA to keep the W/C in check and to excuse inequality.

Question 25

What does marxist Miliband (1973) say about ownership and control of the media?

Answer 25

Mass media is an ideological instrument, helps to justify class inequality using a conservative and conformist ideology via news and entertainment. Convinces W/C that R/C ideas are truth and fact. Media owners manipulate how people think, which is shown by how the poor vs rich are represented in the media.

Question 26

What do Marxists say about the representation of ethnic minorities in the media?

Answer 26

Portray as criminals, migrants and extremists to divide and rule the W/C

Question 27

What do Castles and Kosack (1973) say about the representation of ethnic minorities?

Answer 27

It suits the R/C for W/C to view Ethnic. minorities as a threat because this distracts them from the real inequality.

Question 28

What happens according to marxists when someone has alternative views?

Answer 28

They are disregarded as extremist, as society only gets a narrow range of approved views.

Question 29

What do marxists such as Marcuse believe?

Answer 29

Media owners play a key role in helping to control the working class through a ‘Bread and circuses’ approach.

Question 30

What does the bread and circuses phrase mean?

Answer 30

Describes superficial entertainments used to satisfy populations so they are distracted from real issues. Keeps them happy and docile.

Question 31

According to Marxists, why are media owners happy to transmit R/C ideology?

Answer 31

Because Media owners are part of the R/C. Last thing they want is equality, because this means less wealth for them.

Question 32

What do Marxists, Tunstall and Palmer 1991 say

Answer 32

Governments aren’t interested in controlling activities of media owners because their interests overlap. Regulatory favours are the norm. Newspapers support government, and in return government fails to enforce regulation.

Question 33

What is Curran’s evidence for regulatory favours happening in the media?

Answer 33

Suggests 4 periods in British press can be seen with regard to owner intervention and. the undermining of journalist integrity.

Question 34

What are Curran’s 4 periods in British press?

Answer 34

1: 1920-50. Lords openly stating ideological intentions e.g Lord Beaverbrook
2: 1951-74. Delegation to journalist authority, reporting into abuse of power. Media owners still supported particular ideologies.
3: 1974-1992. Interventionist approach, Rupert Murdoch acquired Sun and Times, supported the right for economic advantage. Dubbed ‘Phantom prime minister’
4: 1997-now. Ownership based on global conservatism. 1997, Murdoch support Blair’s new labour as Blair was willing to lift control on cross-media ownership. Deal between Power-holders.

Question 35

What are the three characteristics postmodernist society has that impacts control and ownership of the media?

Answer 35

-Post modern society is a media saturated society (Trowler)
-Post modern societies are underpinned by globalisation.
-People no longer have faith in absolute truth. Trowler -There are many meanings and not one deep profound meaning.

Question 36

What do postmodernists say characteristics in a postmodern society mean for media ownership and control?

Answer 36

Sociologists can no longer claim that owners, editors and journalists influence audiences by setting a particular view.

Question 37

What two reasons do postmodernists give for why owners, editors and journalists cannot influence audiences.

Answer 37

-Baudrillard (1998) Audiences immersed in so much information that they find it difficult to distinguish between real life and media version of reality called ‘Hyper-reality’. Leaves media open to interpretation.
-Trowler (2008) Media messages are ‘Polysemic’, and can be interpreted in a variety of ways making it difficult for one message to be more powerful than another.

Question 38

What shift has occurred between corporations and audiences according to postmodernists?

Answer 38

A shift in production between global corporations to individuals who create content through blogging etc.

Question 39

What does Postmodernist Levene (2007) say?

Answer 39

There are multiple interpretations of media content that members of society now have greater choice and access to a greater choice of media. This makes it easier to reject or accept narratives proposed by powerful owners.

Question 40

What are some criticisms of post-modernist theories?

Answer 40

-Often vague and anecdotal,
-Exaggerate impact of ‘information explosion’ Evidence shows media saturation has caused passive audience participation.
-Fail to acknowledge existence of structural inequalities in wealth and power