Ownership and control of the media

Question 1

What is concentration of media ownership ?

Outline the Statistics found by Bagdikian (2014)

Answer 1

The amount of control certain groups has over the Media. The less companies we have controlling the Media the higher the concentration. (not spread out).

Bagdikian: 2014 – In 1983 50 organisations owned the majority of the USA’s Media. By 1922 22 organisations did. By 2014-today 6 corporations are in control of the USA’s Media. (most relevant to new media).

Question 2

What did Curran/Seaton say about concentration of media ownership ?

Answer 2

The internet can be controlled by the state.
However the internet’s global nature can make it hard to censor.

The media was previously owned by large companies but now the audience are taking a more active role (influencers).
It is now more global and so harder to regulate.

The UK GOV tried to restrict access to pornography by having ISP make customers opt in to see that content.

Platforms also introduced to control media info. (Ofcom-Press complaints commission)

Question 3

How do you measure this concentration?

Answer 3

Vertical/Horizontal integration
Conglomeration/Diversification
Global conglomeration
Synergy
Technological convergence.
Lateral expansion (Diversification)

Question 4

Explain Vertical integration

Answer 4

Vertical - One company owns all stages of media product production.
(1 company owns the film studio and the cinema) (Creation and production)

Question 5

Explain Horizontal integration

Answer 5

Cross-media-ownership
1 company owns a newspaper and TV companies.

Question 6

Explain Conglomeration/Diversification (Lateral expansion)

Answer 6

Media companies branch out into non-media corporations.

Virgin media - Trains/Plane/Insurance

A business corporation consisting of different companies with a diversified interest in a wide range of products/services.

(This means if one fails they still have something else to fall back onto)

Question 7

Explain Global conglomeration

Answer 7

A company will buy up different companies from other countries.

(Walt Disney Company).
Disney’s expansion into theme parks, cruise lines, resorts, TV broadcasting, live entertainment, and more, building on its core animation business, demonstrates its conglomerate nature

Question 8

Explain Synergy

Answer 8

A media company producing and promoting the same product in different forms.
Tv show
DVD
Music tracks.

Question 9

Explain technological convergence

Answer 9

One device being able to access multiple platforms of media.

Phones have access to radio/TV/Internet /Podcasts/Social media/News

Question 10

What is the Pluralist approach ?

Answer 10

Argue the media is made up of different outlets expressing a variation of views/opinions

The audience determines content.
Owners of the media will not make money if the audience does not agree with what they are publishing.
(If personal interests not align with target audience).

Question 11

What are the 2 groups in the media ?

Answer 11

1. Those who have a financial interest and want to shift social attitudes.
2. Those who seek to promote the interests of the narrow range of people.

Question 12

What does Whale say about the Pluralist approach?

Answer 12

Competition is healthy as consumers are able to choose from multiple different views.

Question 13

What do Pluralists say about the Audience?

Answer 13

The audience are active consumers of the media rather than passive consumers that are easily manipulated by the producers.

This is because we are free to select/reject/interpret all the different views seen in the media.
(A02 - Friends being taken off Netflix)

Agendas in the media are set by the demands of the public and are free from political control. (Two-step flow model)

Question 14

What is the two-step flow model ?

Katz/Lazarsfled

Answer 14

Media audiences are not directly affected by the media.

They adopt a certain opinion after discussions with a group leader.

The group leader is exposed to the content and will form an interpretation of the content.

Those who respect the group leader will internalise they views/values/interpretations of media content.

Influencers
Parents
Teachers

Question 15

What do Pluralists say about Journalism?

Answer 15

Journalists are not controlled by Media owners.
They have the freedom to shape media content. (Producers/Editors)

The owners are preoccupied with products/developments and don’t have time to check every piece of media published.

A03
(Would explain how scandals get out)
(However not explain how some things are taken off the internet completely when needed to be forgotten about)

Question 16

A03 - What is a Criticism of Pluralism?

Owners still being in control

Answer 16

Owners are still in control.
Can fire journalists who don’t have same views as them and can hire ones who do share the same views.

This will influence the media agenda.

Class - Owners/editors/journalists share an upper-middle-class background/conservative worldview.

A03 - New-media not fall into this issue as the audience can decide whether to choose to interact/ignore what being shared.
(Choice)

Question 17

A03? Against Pluralism

Answer 17

Ignores the power media conglomerates have and how it manipulates audience members to buy their products.

There is not diversity in media content - Not all audience needs are catered for.
(Black people - Kidnappings rarely broadcasted).

Media has become dumbed down/Samey

Hard for journalists to be neutral - Personal views/values/upbringing may impact what they write about.
Will only do a story if they have a personal interest in it.

Question 18

What is the Marxist approach?
Instrumentalist theory

Answer 18

Members of the ruling class own the media and use is to maintain power over the w/c.
Reproducing a false-class conscious through ruling-class ideologies.

(Control what is on the news/entertainment)

Question 19

What do Marxists believe about the audience?

Answer 19

The role of the media is to keep audiences as passive consumers (easily manipulated and just accept what they are consuming).

Stops them from challenging the capitalist society.

(Hypodermic Syringe model)

Question 20

What does Miliband say about media owners?

Answer 20

Media owners share cultural capital.
Attended same Universities.
Social network based on supporting own interests.
Journalists wont go against biased reporting out of fear of not wanting to loose job.

• The government would not regulate this biased media as they are also apart of it and use the media to manipulate us.

Question 21

What is the hypodermic syringe model?

Lasswell

Answer 21

Audiences are passive consumers.
Media is like a syringe - It injects messages/attitudes/beliefs into the audiences.

This causes us to accept messages sent out by them unwillingly.

(Link to Cultural effect model)

Question 22

What is the cultural effect model?
Stuart Hall

Answer 22

Marxist view
Capitalist norms are transmitted through a ‘drip drip’ effect.
Slowly sharing ideological messages of the owners through a long period of time.

Audiences end up accepting these ideologies as they have lack of exposure to others.

(Miliband) also argues that people have become obsessed with the media. (It is the new opium - Drug) - More easily influenced by it.

Question 23

How does the media promote the ruling-class ideological functions ?

Answer 23

1. Support of the ruling-class
2. Promoting Myth of Meritocracy
   3.Politics
   4.Entertainment
   5.Symbolic Annihilation

Question 24

1. Support of the Ruling class

Answer 24

Report wealthy in a positive light while reporting poor in a negative light.

Ruling-class seen as something to strive for.

(Royal family)

Question 25

2. Promoting the myth of meritocracy

Answer 25

portraying success stories and inspirational figures who appear to have achieved their positions solely through hard work and talent, while simultaneously downplaying the role of privilege and systemic inequalities. This narrative reinforces the belief that anyone can succeed if they work hard enough, obscuring the fact that social class, race, and gender can significantly impact an individual's opportunities and outcomes. (Young) Shows like the apprentice do this.

Question 26

3. Politics

Answer 26

Dismisses other views and portrays the (capitalist views) as correct. Jones – Media owners/journalists are apart of an establishment where they share the same views.

Question 27

4. Entertainment

Answer 27

TV shows Social media platforms Music platforms Will distract us from thinking critically about political issues. We don't think about certain issues while we sit and enjoy a show.

Question 28

5. Symbolic Annihilation - Newman

Answer 28

W/C is often underrepresented in media, and even when they are shown, it's frequently done negatively. Achievements and experiences of the working class are largely absent from media portrayals, while middle-class norms are frequently presented as the default.

Question 29

Idealisation/Demonization A02

Answer 29

media can idealize/demonize the W/C often highlighting their distinctive subcultures and values. Example, some shows might present a romanticized view of working-class life. (The Simpsons) - Are W/C but their struggles are downplayed in a comedic way). While others might focus on their "problems" or "failures," often associating them with a lack of conformity to middle-class values. (Ackley Bridge) - Explores themes of poverty, social division, and the challenges faced by students from diverse backgrounds

Question 30

Who is Rupert Murdock and how does he support the idea of the media reinforcing ideological functions of the R/C A02

Answer 30

He is a Media Mogul who has influenced his media to support conservatives. In 2003 he promoted Media that supported the Iraq war as he supported it himself. (He is very powerful in the media - an owner of the media).

Question 31

What are the criticisms of the Marxist approach? A03

Answer 31

The media has been used to highlight inequality in society. Example - 2020 party scandal (Pluralists) - Argue media companies want to make a profit and so will publish a diverse ideology rather than personal beliefs. - Want to make profit. Deterministic - Marxists assume the audience is passive. Ignores that New Media allows the public to make their own news and share their own view points. (Social media platforms) Facebook Twitter (X) TikTok YouTube

Question 32

What is the Neo-Marxist approach? Hegemonic approach

Answer 32

Agree that the media generally reflects the views of the ruling-class but argue the relationship is more complex. The media will use weak arguments to make capitalism seem justified.

Question 33

What does Gramsci say about the media being Hegemonic ?

Answer 33

Cultural Hegemony The ruling class views are dominant therefore they are more widely accepted. Media owners have a powerful influence but are not involved in day-day reports (Against Marxism) Journalists agree with the ruling-class by choice. (Due to it being the dominant views). (Link to the Cultural effect model) Drip Drip effect

Question 34

What do Neo-Marxists argue about Journalism ?

Answer 34

Journalists are able to report as they please. Factors like their interests/News values determine media content. Glasgow Media Group (GMC)

Question 35

What did the GMC find ?

Answer 35

Most journalists are M/C white males. They share the dominant ideology and publish it. Unlikely to against boss as it could risk their job.

Question 36

What do Neo-Marxists argue about Agenda setting and Gate Keeping. Maintaining dominant ideology Agenda setting Gatekeeping

Answer 36

Maintains the dominant ideology by keeping things that could harm the elite out of the media. Agenda setting - Spreading Ideology by portraying media in a certain way. (Inviting certain people/only discussing certain topics). Gatekeeping - Some topics covered in the media while some are not.

Question 37

Examples of Gatekeeping

Answer 37

Editorial decisions: Editors deciding which news stories to publish or feature, and how prominently. Source selection: Reporters choosing which individuals or organizations to quote or feature in their stories. Algorithmic filtering: Social media algorithms determining what content is shown to users. Content moderation: Platform policies and practices that remove or restrict content

Question 38

What are Criticisms of neo-Marxism ?

Answer 38

(Traditional Marxists) - N/M underplay the influence of economic factors like owners having the ability to fire/hire journalists. (Role of New media) - Harder to spread just 1 dominant ideology (Pluralists) - N/M see audience as passive consumers easily swayed by the dominant ideology. They are actually active consumers impacting what is shown.

Question 39

What does the Postmodernist perspective argue?

Answer 39

Post-modern societies are saturated with media. Societies are underpinned by globalisation is the cause for this as it creates more consumer choice. There is no such thing an absolute truth people become cynical. Therefore: Sociologists can no longer claim that owners, editors and journalists influence audiences by disseminating a particular world view.

Question 40

What does Baudrillard argue about a hyper-reality ?

Answer 40

Audiences are so immersed in the media they can find it difficult to distinguish between real life and the media versions of reality. This has undermined truth and objectivity. (Backed up by Miliband who argues the media has become the new opium (drug) )

Question 41

A02 - Example of Hyper-reality

Answer 41

Columbine shooting Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered a total of 12 students and one teacher. They injured 21 additional people, with three others being injured while attempting to escape the school. They acted out what they saw in the media in real life.

Question 42

What do Postmodernists say about Media producers?

Answer 42

-The distinction between producers and consumers has become less clear cut. -There has been a shift in media production away from global corporations to individuals who are increasingly engaged in the production of new media. (Social media, blogging). -Consumers reinvent and subvert existing media products of global corporations in inventive ways. It is no longer in the hands of corporations.

Question 43

What does Levene argue about interpretations of the media? (Audiences)

Answer 43

If there are multiple interpretations, then the dissemination of knowledge is more fluid as opposed to being concentrated. (Against concentration of the media) Members of society now have a greater choice in their access to a greater diversity of media, making it easier for them to reject or challenge the meta-narratives proposed by the powerful. (Ideas usually proposed by upper-class becoming the dominant ideology).

Question 44

A03 - Problems with Post-modernism Media saturation Influence of the audience

Answer 44

Over-states the influence of the audience. Arguing that we live in a media saturated society - (so much choice/diversity that the media becomes uncontrollable) Actually - Suggests more power for big media companies.