Ownership and Control of the Media - Access to HE Sociology - Gloscol

i must believe this too

The postmodern world involves confusion of time and space. The maps of the places where we live, and our ideas about ‘the times’ in which we organize our lives, have become subject to distortion and confusion.

Through the medium of television, we can be present at a worldwide Band Aid concert, or in the Middle East, or at the release of Nelson Mandela.

Previously unified ideas about space and time have become less stable and comprehensive, more confused, more incoherent and more disunified.

Society is ‘Media Saturated’.

Post-Modernist

We live in an age of ‘Hyperreality’

we are bombarded by so much information from the media that we can no longer distinguish between it and real life.

media messages have no fixed meaning. They could be interpreted in different ways by different people, indeed they could be interpreted in different ways by the same person at different times. If this is the case it really doesn’t matter who owns the media or who controls its output

Access to HE

Sociology

SY4 - Mass Media

Ownership and Control

of the Mass Media

Post-Modernist

As everyone controls the media, the media is controlled by no-one

Pluralist

Audiences are active rather than passive because they choose what to watch, what to read, which websites to log on to, etc.

Neo-Marxist

Marxist

The beliefs and interests of the ruling class are still dominated in the media, allowing hegemony

There is a direct relationship between ownership and control. This means that the media acts as a way of reinforcing capitalist values.

Body

There are a number of different views in society and groups with different views are in competition with each other to have their views heard

Capitalism still operates in society today but in a more discreet way.

The mass media is a form of social control in society.

Certain ideas and beliefs are portrayed to benefit capitalism.

Marxist

Neo-Marxist

Pluralism

Larger, more powerful groups are regularly challenged and criticised, often with some success.

Minority interest groups are catered for by the media because the media can profit from this.

The ruling class are able to maintain control and power by sending out messages in the mass media that allow domination of the working class.

Control is now more complicated. Control is more indirect, for example through editors rather than owners, however, editors tend to be white, middle class males, therefore the ideas of the ruling class are still portrayed more in the media.

Ruling class views are challenged in the media but they are done in such a way that allows people to ‘choose’ their views.

By portraying all views it appears that the mass media are fair but the way in which the views are portrayed allows some to appear less favourable/popular or more ridiculous and therefore people will ‘choose’ not to believe them.

this is what I believe already

I want more reality shows.

I want more drama on TV.

Question: who chooses?

Answer: everyone

this is close to something I believe

the

boss

I think I believe this

the editors

I want more current affaris.

the journalists

• Items of ‘interest’ will be manipulated to become so by the owners of the mass media.
• They will promote certain beliefs and interests to the journalists and editors in order to ensure that they remain the dominant class.
• Public opinion can be easily manipulated by the mass media because the majority of people accept what is portrayed as being factual.
• Entertainment media acts as a method of distracting people from reality, helping to maintain power.

the public

• It would not make business sense for owners and managers/ editors of mass media outlets to ignore the interests of the general public because then people will stop buying the newspaper/watching the television programme, etc.
• People are not naïve. They are aware that not everything they read/hear is completely factual and that the media can be biased.
• Owners of the media do not have power and control because in order for them to make profits they have to print/broadcast what the public want.

“Big Brother is watching you.”

“Big Brother is you, watching.”

“Big Brother is watching you.”

“Big Brother is you, watching.”

“Big Brother is watching you.”

“Big Brother is you, watching.”

“Big Brother is watching you.”

“Big Brother is you, watching.”

“Big Brother is watching you.”

“Big Brother is you, watching.”

“Big Brother is watching you.”

“Big Brother is you, watching.”

“Big Brother is watching you.”