ownership and control of the media

• What is the primary function of the media?

  To deliver news to society
• What forms of communication are included in the media?

  Newspapers, websites, radio, cinema, advertising, TV
• Who are considered part of the media?

  Organizations that own communication methods
• How do sociologists differ in their definition of media?

  Some include all mobile technology, others do not
• What has changed in media since the 1980s?

  More specialist media outlets for niche groups
• How does new media allow audience interaction?

  Through multi-way networks like the internet
• Who included cars and clocks as media technologies?

  McLuhan
• What is content analysis in media research?

  Measuring frequency of words or themes
• What is a disadvantage of content analysis?

  It takes a long time to conduct
• What does semiotics study in media?

  The signs and codes used in media
• How do advertisements use semiotic analysis?

  By associating products with positive ideas
• What is a problem with semiotic analysis?

  It is open to subjectivity and bias
• What do experiments in media research study?

  How audiences respond to media
• What is necessary for effective audience research?

  Good questions to gather meaningful data
• What is a disadvantage of short experiments?

  They don't reveal long-term effects
• Who owns a significant portion of the media?

  A few powerful companies and individuals
• What is cross media ownership?

  Owning different forms of media by the same company
• Who owns News Corp?

  Rupert Murdoch
• What did Bagdikian's research find about American media ownership?

  Mostly owned by 5 big corporations
• What is the 'Big Six' in U.S. media?

  They own 90% of U.S. media
• How can media owners influence society?

  By controlling the information received
• What is censorship?

  Controlling the content of the media
• Why might media messages be censored?

  For moral, political, or security reasons
• What do traditional Marxists believe about media owners?

  They control what we see in the media
• How do traditional Marxists view the role of media owners?

  As exploiters manipulating media content
• What did Miliband argue about media messages?

  They encourage the proletariat to be subordinate
• What do neo-Marxists believe about media control?

  It is indirect and reflects ruling class ideas
• What is cultural hegemony?

  One set of ideas dominating over others
• How do some neo-Marxists view media workers?

  They are trained to present a certain worldview
• What do neo-Marxists say about alternative views in media?

  They are allowed but often overshadowed
• How do Marxist sociologists view family entertainment programs?

  They present a specific idea of family life
• What do the Frankfurt School argue about advertising?

  It creates 'false needs' in consumers
• What do pluralists believe about media representation?

  It reflects the values and beliefs of society
• How do post-modernist pluralists view consumption?

  It is important for identity formation
• What power do pluralists believe audiences have over media?

  They can choose alternative viewpoints
• How do journalists influence media content?

  By choosing what to publish and report
• What is journalistic integrity?

  Reporting in a professional and unbiased way
• What do neo-pluralists acknowledge about journalists?

  It may be hard for them to be impartial
• What regulates media power in the U.K.?

  Groups ensuring responsible journalism and ownership
• What is the role of Public Services Broadcasters like the BBC?

  To represent many views by law