Media (OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL)
General
Ownership of mass media is in the hands of few large companies, that have ability to control what people access. Marx - media have a role to spread dominant hegemonic ideology of ruling class, encourages individuals to accept inequality. Pluralist - media content is not driven by a dominant ideology, but instead is driven by consumer interest.
"Lords of the global village"
Bagdikian uses this saying to describe the concentration of media ownership - which has existed 25 yrs now. They control info, creation and distribution.
Main features of media ownership
1) Concentration of ownership.
2) Vertical integration.
3) Horizontal integration.
4) Global ownership.
5) Conglomeration and diversification.
6) Global conglomeration.
7) Synergy.
8) Technological convergence.
Vertical Integration
Concentration of ownership in a single medium - eg, film company who also owns the cinema chain.
Horizontal integration
Cross-media ownership - eg, owns film companies and news companies.
Conglomeration and diversification
Companies having wide variety of products besides the media - eg, Virgin
Synergy
Media companies produce, promote and sell a product in a variety of forms - eg, a film, soundtrack and video game for a superhero.
Technological convergence
Products are available in different forms that can be accessed on one device.
Control of the media - Manipulative/Instrumental view.
Owners directly control and manipulate content and audiences, protecting their profits and spread the dominant ideology. Editors and managers run the media within the boundaries set by owner. Passive view - easily manipulated, unthinking and uncritical robots.
Manipulative/ Instrumental view - EVANS
Argues that media owners such as Murdoch undermine independence and press staff to adopt the same right-wing, conservative views as the owners.
Control of the media - Hegemonic view.
Although media owners have influence, they rarely have day-to-day control of content. This is left in the hands of editors and journalists who have some independence, but still support the dominant ideology by choice, not due to manipulation.
Hegemonic view - GUMG
GMG say journalists tend to be white, middle class men (same dominant class view). Managers and journalists don't want to upset media owners but also want audience, so sometimes go against dominant view to get varied viewers and profit.
Hegemonic view - "Agenda Setting" GUMG
A process where some news is excluded from reporting so that audiences have little choice of media content, as the products are made in the view of dominant ideology (shaping public understanding and opiniom). Also called "gatekeeping".
Control of the media - Pluralist approach.
Media content not driven by dominant ideology or political interests of owners but is for profit - through circulation and audience figures. Competing platforms reflect range of audiences. Media is free of government influence. Audience can choose to accept, reject or re-interpret content.