Ownership & Control Flashcards
(8 cards)
In a nutshell
The ownership of the mass media is concentrated in the hands of a few large companies, that have the ability to control what people have access to. It has been argued that the media have an ideological role to spread the dominant hegemonic ideology of the ruling class, which encourages individuals to accept the inequality of society, according to Marxists. However, pluralists argue media content is not driven by a dominant ideology, but instead is driven by consumer interest.
Ownership of the media
The ownership of the main mass media in Britain is concentrated in the hands of a few large companies. Bagdikian described the concentration of media ownership as the ‘Lords of the Global Village’, which has existed for over 25 years. These ‘Lords’ control every step in the information, creation and distribution process.
The main features of media ownership include: 1-4
Concentration of ownership.
Vertical integration (concentration of ownership in a single medium (e.g. a film company that also owns the cinema chain).
Horizontal integration (cross-media ownership - e.g. owns film companies, newspapers etc).
Global ownership.
The main features of media ownership include: 5-8
Conglomeration and diversification (companies having wide variety of products besides the media - e.g. Virgin).
Global conglomeration.
Synergy (media companies produce, promote and sell a product in a variety of forms - e.g. a film, soundtrack and video game for a superhero).
Technological convergence (products are available in different forms that can be accessed on one device).1
CONTROL OF THE MEDIA AND ITS CONTENT (1/3)
THE MANIPULATIVE / INSTRUMENTAL APPROACH
Owners directly control and manipulate the content and audiences, to protect their profits and spread the dominant ideology. Media editors and managers have little choice but to run the media within the boundaries set by the owner. This approach sees audiences as passive - a mass of easily manipulated, unthinking and uncritical robots.
Evans
Evans argues that media moguls such as Murdoch undermine editorial independence and press editorial staff to adopt the same right-wing, conservative views as the moguls.
CONTROL OF THE MEDIA AND ITS CONTENT (2/3)
THE HEGEMONIC APPROACH
Although media owners have powerful influence, they rarely have day-to-day control of the media content, which is left in the hands of editors and journalists. Therefore, staff have some independence, but still support the dominant ideology by choice, not because they are manipulated into doing so.
The GMG state that most journalists tend to be white, middle-class and male, therefore share the same views as the dominant class.
Media managers and journalists do not want to upset owners, but also need to attract audiences and advertisers.
Journalist news values sometimes go against the dominant ideology, but this is to attract audiences and make a profit.
The GMG explore ‘agenda setting’ or ‘gatekeeping’, which they believe is a process where some news is excluded from reporting, meaning that audiences have little choice of media content, as products are produced in the framework of the dominant ideology.
CONTROL OF THE MEDIA AND ITS CONTENT (3/3)
THE PLURALIST APPROACH
Media content is not driven by a dominant ideology or the political interests of owners, but instead the fight for profit through high circulation and audience figures. There is a wide range of competing media platforms and products that reflect a wide range of audience interests and choices.
The media is generally free of government intervention and ownership, and can present whatever viewpoint they want.
Audiences are free to ‘pick and mix’ whatever interpretation suits them, they have the freedom to accept, reject or re-interpret media content in accordance with taste and beliefs.
