Media Ownership Concentration Case Study

1073 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Examples of concentration of media ownership

Media ownership concentration basically is the trend which is rapidly growing – more and more of the privately owned media companies today are taken and dominated by the multimedia corporations. It means that the rise of transnational media conglomerates can be noticed clearly resulting in the large amount of media is being placed in fewer owners’ hands. Moreover, there is evident formation of alliances when different media companies are joined together into the global conglomerates. As mentioned before, one of those conglomerates is the Time Warner which we decided to take as our case of study. One could argue: is there are problem with the media ownership concentration if it is a natural outcome of globalisation growth. However, the main …show more content…

The significant question regarding this consequence is whose version of the world is being portrayed in the media content and are there any political or economical reasons behind that. Even more significant is the ideological implications of the media ownership concentration, which is especially relevant nowadays, in the time of new ideological conflicts in the world. Regarding the Time Warner example, the media concentration consequence of growing political and economical influence is also evident in that case. This media conglomerate had been accused of being politically biased several times. Time Warner is claimed to be liberally biased and thus received a lot of critique. It is perceived as a media corporation which deals with particular types of content better or worse depending on the provider’s political and financial relationship to the Time Warner Cable and the established power over it. (Sirota, …show more content…

This means that media conglomerates are generally oriented to focus on certain media content which would expand their market and satisfy the essential economic interests of owners. The media ownership concentration also leads to the profit-making attitude of the media content which sometimes results in promotion of certain content which is more profitable and will make more money. Time Warner is no exception in regard of its capitalistic approach towards journalism and media. “...Mega media giant Time Warner, which clearly looks at journalism as a profit center, not as serving the information needs of the nation. “ (McCall, 2014) This could be avoided if more emphasis of media corporations owning journalism would consider that journalism, even though is business, has a more important function than to increase the earnings. (McCall,

Show More
Related

  • Michael Parenti's Mass Media

    365 Words  | 1 Pages

    Michael Parenti (2002) declares media in the United States is no longer “free, independent, neutral and objective.” (p. 60). Throughout his statement, Parenti expresses that media is controlled by large corporations, leaving smaller conglomerates unable to compete. The Telecommunications Act, passed in 1996, restricted “a single company to own television stations serving more than one-third of the U.S. public,” but is now overruled by greater corporations. (p. 61). In his opinion, Parenti reveals that media owners do not allow the publishing of stories that are not beneficial and advantageous. Parenti supports his argument very thoroughly by stating how the plutocracy takes control over media in multiple ways: television, magazines, news/radio broadcasting, and other sources.

    Read More

  • Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political Ramifications of Media Consolidation

    6306 Words  | 13 Pages

    In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act thereby lifting restrictions on media ownership that had been in place for over sixty years (Moyers 2003; Bagdikian 2000: xviii). It was now possible for a single media company to own not just two radio stations in any given local market, but eight. On the national level, there was no longer any limit on the number of stations a company could own – the Act abandoned the previous nation-wide ownership cap of forty stations (20 FM and 20 AM). This “anti-regulatory sentiment in government” has continued and in 2004 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a new rule that would allow corporations to own “45 percent of the media in a single market, up from [the] 35 percent” established by the 1996 Act (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 30; AFL-CIO 2004). Companies can now also own both a newspaper and a television station in the same city (AFL-CIO 2004). This deregulation has led to a frenzied wave of mergers – most notably the Viacom/CBS merger in 1999, the largest in history (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 21). Ownership of the media has rapidly consolidated into fewer and fewer hands as companies have moved to gobble up newspapers, television stations, and radio stations across the country.

    Read More

  • The Merger Between Comcast and TWC

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    B) The critical issue is that Comcast, the biggest internet and cable provider in the nation, is seeking to become even bigger in merging with Time Warner Cable, the second biggest company in the market. This merger will increase the influence Comcast has on TV channels and internet content providers, leaving consumers with fewer alternatives and will reduce competition to the amount where Comcast will control two thirds’ of the cable TV market and about 40% of ...

    Read More

  • Public Broadcasting In Canada

    2606 Words  | 6 Pages

    Over the centuries, the media has played a significant role in the shaping of societies across the globe. This is especially true of developed nations where media access is readily available to the average citizen. The media has contributed to the creation of ideologies and ideals within a society. The media has such an effect on social life, that a simple as a news story has the power to shake a nation. Because of this, governments around the world have made it their duty to be active in the regulation and control of media access in their countries. The media however, has quickly become dominated by major mega companies who own numerous television, radio and movie companies both nationally and internationally. The aim of these companies is to generate revenue and in order to do this they create and air shows that cater to popular demand. In doing so, they sometimes compromise on the quality of their content. This is where public broadcasters come into perspective.

    Read More

  • Democracy In Australia Essay

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    With an understanding of the theoretical links between economic structures, relations of production, and political systems that protect economic structures in society this case study examines media as a contributor to democracy in Australia as well as a business with economic objectives. This section will provide a short explanation of Fairfax media history and position in 2012 prior to explaining Gina Rinehart’s role in the company. The print sector in Australia has historically exhibited relatively high levels of concentration, dominated by News Corp Australia, Fairfax and APN. The Australian print news media have experienced a long-term trend of a decrease in titles and owners. According to Geoffrey Craig, ‘in 1923 there were as many as

    Read More

  • Edward R Murrow Wires And Lights In A Box Analysis

    606 Words  | 2 Pages

    Murrow states “one of the basic troubles with radio and television news is that both instruments have grown up as an incompatible combination of show business, advertising and news” (7). Top management does not have time to give mature and thoughtful consideration to the abundant problems that confront those who are charged with the responsibility for news and public affairs, but they still do any ways and put little to none effort towards doing so. According to Murrow if there is a disagreement between the public interest and the corporate interest it will always go the way of the corporate almost every

    Read More

  • The Pluralists View on Media Ownership

    485 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Pluralists View on Media Ownership The majority of the pluralists would argue that the public have the power to resist the media and have the ability to use the media and have an input (air their views) rather than be controlled by the media. They also believe that we can affect the media because we live in a "democracy" thus enabling us to choose whether we decide to read a paper or watch the BBC news and therefore have a minority influence. To some extent pluralists believe that the media responds to public demand rather than the public responding to media demands [by this I mean if the public want to know about a certain story then the media is likely to provide a story, however it can be argued that the media decides the stories and the public responds by reviewing the media therefore they are supporting the media financially]and it can be

    Read More

  • Influence of the Wealthy Over the Media and Politics

    1003 Words  | 3 Pages

    The majority of media in the United States, are owned in operated by wealthy individuals and corporations. Media also helps portray “big business” good or bad, depending on their influence, mostly due to contributions. Due to these contributions, select few have been able to manipulate and create a bias towards the contributor. Eventually free media and press evolved into the oligarchy that now “runs” our country.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Individualism In Society

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    This is an example of self-interest because of the small number of corporations that want to control the interests of many people through today’s media, so they can benefit from it. If the source is correct, why are corporations controlling the media, when the media’s job is to inform society of important events that are happening in the world to this day? If everyone has a right to watch the news and have the knowledge of what is going on around them, and the small corporations choose to only show things that they want to show, that is unjustly. There is no equality in it and it is unfair to the people who watch or read the news. We all live in a society where all are supposed to be equal, but if corporations control the media and chooses what to show, there is no equality. Which means some people would have greater knowledge than others about information. The role of individual in society should be more of economic

    Read More

  • The Rise Of Party Polarization In James Q. Wilson's How Divided Are We?

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although, in recent years it is seen that consumers are less likely to subscribe to newspapers and/or watch the daily news. This is due to the fact that they are typically bias in their opinions, and are seen to lack the whole story when presented. Rise in polarization in the media is due to a new found competition between news networks, which was not present sixty years ago. Wilson says, “the news we get is not only more omnipresent, it is also more competitive and hence often more adversarial”. The media outlets are fighting for views, and are willing to do whatever it takes to get them. Which leads to them configuring the stories to what people want to here. Thus making their viewer ratings higher. It is known that certain news stations get more views depending on the political party. “Those who watch CNN are more likely to be Democrats than Republicans; the reverse is emphatically true of Fox”. The media has more outlets to reach their viewers to maximize the effectiveness of their biased

    Read More

  • The Hidden Relationship Between Government and Media

    2097 Words  | 5 Pages

    One way in which government achieves this objective, is by its ability to misuse the media’s ability to set the agenda. Contrary to popular belief, media is in fact an enormous hegemony. In fact, separate independent news organizations do not exist. Rather than creating an independent structured agenda of their own, generally lesser smaller news organizations adapt to a prepared agenda, previously constructed by a higher medium. Based upon this information alone, it is quite apparent that media functions in adherence to the characteristics of a hierarchy.

    Read More

  • Is Media Bad for Democracy?

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    There for we say yes, media can have a sizeable political impact, especially when a politician controls a substantial share of the media. Media is therefore bad for democracy. Stated throughout this paper is the level of bias that is displayed in the media. This level of bias sways the public far right or far left. Their decisions are based on a political point of view.

    Read More

  • Media Influence On Public Policy

    1843 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the fundamental roles of the media in a liberal democracy is to critically scrutinise governmental affairs: that is to act as a watchdog of government to ensure that the government can be held accountable by the public. However, the systematic deregulation of media systems worldwide is diminishing the ability of citizens to meaningfully participate in policymaking process governing the media (McChesney, 2003, p. 126). The relaxation of ownership rules and control, has resulted in a move away from diversity of production to a situation where media ownership is becoming increasing concentrated by just a few predominantly western global conglomerates (M...

    Read More

  • Power of Media in Modern World

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hence, the power of media has touched its apex in today’s age. Its societal, political and economic functions reflect its unparallel capacity to affect the human life in all spheres.

    Read More

  • Media Colonialism And Media Imperialism

    2337 Words  | 5 Pages

    Inevitably we have found significant evidence of Western (particularly US) media influences. More specific examples include Pan-Latin American television networks include the US-based CNN en Espanol, Univision, and MundoVision, as well as Spain’s Canal 24 Horas. Some part of their media is a commercial media market which is controlled by a small number of wealthy individuals (e.g. Mexican media Remigio Angel Gonzalalez’ Albavision encompasses 26 TV stations and 82 radio stations, and includes La Red (Chile), ATV (Peru), SNT (Paraguay) and Canal 9

    Read More

More about Media Ownership Concentration Case Study

Open Document