theories of media ownership and control

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  • Created by: laura_s
  • Created on: 19-12-17 18:08
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  • Theories of media ownership and control
    • THE PLURALIST THEORY
      • OVERVIEW - western societies have representative democracies where the whole population is given a voice - media personnel do their best to give people the media content they want - media is 'essential' to give people knowledge on politics
      • THE ECONOMICS OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP:- media companies compete to attract buyers. - media isn't public as it's down to consumer choice (no consumers = no business + no power). -  the global marketplace is segmented to target different social groups which counters any attempt to influence a mass audience
        • Wale: it's impossible for media owners to influence all content in their media. Wale argues that they have bigger issues and investments to occupy themselves with, so they aren't involved in the daily minor content of their media
      • THE MEDIA AS A DEMOCRATIC MIRROR: -pluralists see the media as a representation of the diversity In the population. - therefore, if media companies are seen to be bias in their views, pluralists say it is simply because they are giving content in the amounts that audiences want
      • PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING: - important in portraying all sides to a story, unlike potential bias that might occur in private sector media (despite this, commentators suggest that even public media like the BBC are abandoning their PSB aims and they have become more commercialised)
        • PSB: media outlets controlled by the state. for example: the BBC was set up in 1926 by a royal charter and it has a legal requirement to cater for all in society
      • STATE CONTROL: the power of media is restricted by state control (e.g. some states don't let people  own too many different types of media as this would distort peoples views) - regulators like of-com monitor the content of media outlets to ensure any bias is removed
      • MEDIA PROFESSIONALISM: - pluralists argue that journalists have too much integrity to be regularly biased in favour of one view - media have a strong tradition of investigating what is released by the media, therefore questioning those bodies in power
      • CRITIQUES: - Curran says there is evidence to suggest that media owners fire workers who have opposing views to themselves. - Blumler and Gurevich (1995): pluralists emphasise the reliance that people have on journalists, when surveys have shown that people have little trust towards them. - Feminists argue that the media is bias because it's male orientated and portrayed women in a way that is favourable to men
        • Trowler:  500 journalists embossed with British and American troops during Iraq invasion. 1 sided reporting happened as a result of the relationships that were formed
    • THE MARXIST THEORY
      • OVERVIEW: - capitalist economic system that benefits the rich at the expense of the poor. - the marxist theory strongly challenges the pluralist theory of ownership and control
      • THE HEGEMONIC MARXIST THEORY
        • Hegemony: economic, social and cultural domination of one group over others
          • The GUMG: - media content is accidental hegemony as a result of journalists social class backgrounds.
            • Sutton trust: 50% of top UK journalists went to private school
            • AGENDA SETTING: (GUMG): - the decisions that media organisations make when deciding what to publish in the media. - they have to appeal to audiences but they also cause cultural hegemony as ideas about capitalism that are found in the media become normalised
              • THE HEGEMONIC MARXIST THEORY
                • Hegemony: economic, social and cultural domination of one group over others
                  • The GUMG: - media content is accidental hegemony as a result of journalists social class backgrounds.
                    • Sutton trust: 50% of top UK journalists went to private school
                    • AGENDA SETTING: (GUMG): - the decisions that media organisations make when deciding what to publish in the media. - they have to appeal to audiences but they also cause cultural hegemony as ideas about capitalism that are found in the media become normalised
                  • ECONOMIC PRESSURES: (GUMG) - making profit goes hand in hand with not transmitting capitalist ideology because if viewers find content upsetting, they won't continue to view it and the firm will lose money
                    • Jones (2015): journalists and media owners are part of the 'establishment'. the establishment aims to protect its position in power by turning a blind eye on capitalism and focusing on the poor and ethic minority groups.
                    • CRITIQUES:  - the GUMG focus on media professionals which implies that media owners have little or no input in the media which is unrealistic. - critics note that the media is not part of the establishment
            • ECONOMIC PRESSURES: (GUMG) - making profit goes hand in hand with not transmitting capitalist ideology because if viewers find content upsetting, they won't continue to view it and the firm will lose money
              • Jones (2015): journalists and media owners are part of the 'establishment'. the establishment aims to protect its position in power by turning a blind eye on capitalism and focusing on the poor and ethic minority groups.
              • CRITIQUES:  - the GUMG focus on media professionals which implies that media owners have little or no input in the media which is unrealistic. - critics note that the media is not part of the establishment
          • THE POSTMODERNIST THEORY
            • Strinati (1995) - countries like the UK have transformed from industrial societies to post industrial societies with service economies
            • 3 characteristics of postmodernist society: 1) media-saturated society 2) globalisation 3) absolute truths
              • 1) media is essential to daily life 2) range of media content has increased 3) people question everything, and nothing has absolute truth.
                • Trowler: "in postmodernity, the norm is complexity"
                • sociologists can no longer claim that media personnel influence audiences. - Baurillard (1998): - audiences are immersed in so much info that it's difficult to tell the truth and this leads = hyper reality,
                  • 3 characteristics of postmodernist society: 1) media-saturated society 2) globalisation 3) absolute truths
                    • 1) media is essential to daily life 2) range of media content has increased 3) people question everything, and nothing has absolute truth.
                      • Trowler: "in postmodernity, the norm is complexity"
                      • sociologists can no longer claim that media personnel influence audiences. - Baurillard (1998): - audiences are immersed in so much info that it's difficult to tell the truth and this leads = hyper reality,
              • a shift in media production away from global corporations to individuals
                • = polysemic: the idea of there being multiple ways to interpret media content
              • Levene (2007): media content is easier to challenge and reject. users have more access to a greater range of media
                • 2007: uni students constructed a viral campaign to stop HSBC from introducing overdraft fees
              • CRITIQUES: - arguments are vague and not based on research - they are too positive

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