Topic 2: Ownership and control of the media Flashcards
What does Bagdikian 2004 say about concentration of media ownership?
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.
Who are considered the big 6 media conglomerates in the USA?
Comcast, Disney, 21st Century Fox/ Newscorp, Time Warner, Viacom and CBS corp
What does Curran (2003) say about the British newspaper industry?
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.
Define Horizontal integration.
When large media companies own various types of media, for example, Newscorp owning newspaper companies, publishing houses and film studios.
Define Vertical intergration.
Where one company owns all stages of media production, for example companies owning film studios and the cinemas where the films are shown.
Define Lateral Expansion/ Diversification.
When media companies branch out into non media companies/new business areas. For example Virgin media selling insurance and train surfaces.
Define Global Conglomeration.
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.
Define Synergy.
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.
What is Technical Convergence.
Where several unrelated technologies are put in one media system. For example having music, films etc on one device.
What is Doyle (2002) suggest about why we study media ownership?
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.
What is the pluralist theory?
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.
What do Pluralists say about the audience who consume media?
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
What do Pluralists say about State Government control of the media?
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.
What do pluralists say about the economic rationality of the media?
The concentration of media is purely economic as it helps to attract larger audiences. This reduces costs and increases ad revenue.
What do pluralists say about consumer demand?
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.
What do pluralists say about democracy and the media?
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.
What is PSB?
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.
What do pluralists think about PSB?
They see PSB as impartial and objective media. They are a counterweight to any bias that might occur in the private sector of media.
What do pluralists think about media professionalism?
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.
What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about media professionalism?
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.
What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about consumer demand?
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.
What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about state government control/regulation?
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.
What are some criticisms of pluralist idea’s about essential parts of democracy.
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’.
What is the overall Marxist theory?
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.
What does marxist Miliband (1973) say about ownership and control of the media?
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.
What do Marxists say about the representation of ethnic minorities in the media?
Portray as criminals, migrants and extremists to divide and rule the W/C
What do Castles and Kosack (1973) say about the representation of ethnic minorities?
It suits the R/C for W/C to view Ethnic. minorities as a threat because this distracts them from the real inequality.
What happens according to marxists when someone has alternative views?
They are disregarded as extremist, as society only gets a narrow range of approved views.
What do marxists such as Marcuse believe?
Media owners play a key role in helping to control the working class through a ‘Bread and circuses’ approach.
What does the bread and circuses phrase mean?
Describes superficial entertainments used to satisfy populations so they are distracted from real issues. Keeps them happy and docile.
According to Marxists, why are media owners happy to transmit R/C ideology?
Because Media owners are part of the R/C. Last thing they want is equality, because this means less wealth for them.
What do Marxists, Tunstall and Palmer 1991 say
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.
What is Curran’s evidence for regulatory favours happening in the media?
Suggests 4 periods in British press can be seen with regard to owner intervention and. the undermining of journalist integrity.
What are Curran’s 4 periods in British press?
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.
What are the three characteristics postmodernist society has that impacts control and ownership of the media?
-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.
What do postmodernists say characteristics in a postmodern society mean for media ownership and control?
Sociologists can no longer claim that owners, editors and journalists influence audiences by setting a particular view.
What two reasons do postmodernists give for why owners, editors and journalists cannot influence audiences.
-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.
What shift has occurred between corporations and audiences according to postmodernists?
A shift in production between global corporations to individuals who create content through blogging etc.
What does Postmodernist Levene (2007) say?
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.
What are some criticisms of post-modernist theories?
-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
