Ownership and control of the Mass Media Hegemonic Marxist Approach

Hegemonic Marxists argue that the media refelects the ideas of the ruling class (including media owners)

Hegemonic marxists argue that media professionals subciously control the content of the media by transmitting the dominate values of the white, male middle class media proffessionals who work for media organisations. Hegemony means the dominance in society of the ruling class set of ideas over others. Hegemony occurs when the ruling class control society's institutions such as education, the criminal justice system and the media. Through these instutions they subconciously transmit the ideas that are seen as essential to their social group.

The ruling class intrests defined by hegemonic marxists are the approval of buisness, free marketism and the aquistition of wealth, the condemnation of trade unions and militancy, a preference for conservativism, support for the monarchy and the ruling elites and a suspition of feminist women, minority ethnic groups, young people, the working class, radicals, homosexuals, striking workers and protestors.

Hegemonic Marxists argue that media proffessionals set an 'agenda for disscusion' or which means some items are deliberly excluded from being reported in the media as they do not conform with ruling class ideology. Media professionals use 'gate keeping…