Corporate Ownership How can so few control so much? Meeting 3

Transnational Media Myths 1.Mega corporations operate in most or all world markets Operate in preferred markets Bias toward home market 2. Companies are monolithic in approach Corporate culture reflects founder or owner and business mission

Cross-Media Ownership Share news information Cross-licensing and marketing Bulk-buying & group discounts Sharing resources Discounts to advertisers with package buys Shared distribution efficiencies

American Multimedia Giants American companies have: highest revenue, encourage US tastes with advertising 1.AOL-Time Warner largest worldwide 2.Disney owns ABC radio/TV ad ESPN 3.Viacom owns CBS radio/TV, MTV, Blockbuster

More Giants 4.News Corporation has FOX, 20th Century Fox, STA TV (Asia), BSkyB (Europe); controlled by Rupert Merdock. 5.General Electric owns NBC (CNBC, MSNBC), European & Asian cable TV

Hollywood and NY Corporations Operate in English, the language of largest global segment of media outlets Access to substantial fiscal resources Purchase US made programming Access to talent, producers, writers, directors

AOL-Time Warner US core nation influencing all other cores Merger part of Internet revolution Properties (CNN, Warner Brothers, HBO, cable, music, Time Inc, Turner Ent.,New Line cinema, Cartoon network) Records (150 retail outlets, 30 Asian stores) Artists (Cher, Faith Hill, Madonna, AC/DC, Bare Naked Ladies)

Viacom Gained 35% of US broadcast market with CBS purchase in 2000 Includes 38 TV stations, 163 radio, 13 Internet companies Controls Paramount’s 2500 title library, 33% United International pictures MTV,Nickelodian,VH1,Nick at Night, BET, Showtime Simon Schuster 2400 titles/year Blockbuster’s 6000 stores

Disney Feature films Part owner of A&E cable, History channel, E!Entertainment and E! Online Disney TV International Disney Channel ESPN’s Lifetime and SoapNet Theme parks (France, Japan, Hong Kong) ABC news, sport, sitcoms, quizshows

General Electric NBC’s holdings (network, news, sports, entertainment, cable, interactive) Network Today Show, Friends, West Wing dominate ratings. CNBC, MSNBC news and business Many firsts: Stereo, color broadcast, made for TV movies, morning news, online/ digital broadcasts 8th largest worldwide

AT&T Liberty Media Group (Discovery, Encore, USA cable channels, TV Guide) 25% Telemundo Hispanic TV network 25% Excite at home (Internet provider)

Non-US Giants Bertelsmann German group in 60 countries 4th largest worldwide Music Group has 14% world market; owns Arista Records, BUGjuice, Sonopress CDs Internet entertainment (Game Channel, Sport 1) Radio & TV throughout Europe Pixelpark digital brand communications

Vivendi Universal French, 7th largest Universal Studios, UMG Records in US Major pay TV operator in Europe Partnership with Seagram’s Universal Studios, Universal Music Group

VNU Netherlands-based 9th largest worldwide Publishing (AdWeek, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter), TV, film production, music, Internet services, TV ratings (Neilson Media)

Sony Japanese based 6th largest worldwide Owns CBS records, Columbia Pictures Investor in Telemundo, produces telenovelas in prime time Music division (Michael Bolton) Film & TV shows (Good as it Gets, Wheel of Fortune) Multiplexes (Metreone in SF, Tokyo, Berlin)

News Corporation Australian based, 5th worldwide International empire of media, technology, and sports franchises Owns LA Dodgers, LA Lakers, Kings hockey, Madison Sq. Garden (pt. Owner NY Rangers & Knicks, National Rugby League Fox Network, 20th Cent, Harper/Collins, NY Times, TV Guide, Festival Records

Summary Ownership shows connection between sports and mass media Ever-increasing role that non-US media stakeholders are playing in global communication