1. A2 Sociology: Mass Media

2. A2 Sociology: Mass Media
Topic 1 - Ownership & Control: Key Developments

3. By the end of the session:....
To know and understand the differences between vertical and horizontal integration.
To know and understand monopoly and pluralism
To have studied Murdoch’s role in media ownership
Outcomes: To have researched case studies on ownership and the Sutton trust

4. What is the mass media?
In pairs or small groups, answer the following:
What do you think mass media means?
How often do you use the mass media?
Do you think the mass media is a good thing or a bad thing?

5. Mass Media

6. Mass media is communication—whether written, broadcast, or spoken—that reaches a large audience. This includes television, radio, advertising, movies, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, and so forth.

7. This definition identifies 3 key aspects of the mass media.
The production of messages by media institutions.
The content of media messages
The reception of messages by audience.

8. What does virgin own and control?
Broadband and TV
This is known as ‘Diversification’. Companies such as Virgin maintain a monopoly over many forms of media – spreading the risk of loss and profit. What could be lost in sales through their airlines can be gained through virgin broadband as an example.
Mobile phone network
Virgin Atlantic
Finance
Train line
Insurance

9. In Britain, who owns the media?
British Broadcasting Corporation is publicly funded. The Government receives money from licence fee payers; a proportion of which goes to the BBC.
Who owns the BBC?
Public ownership
You are required to pay a TV licence fee if you own and use a television. The BBC receives £3.56bn a year from this.

10. How the BBC Spend their £3.56bn each year
( data)

11. CPBF
The Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF) was established in For over three decades they have worked for a more accountable, freer and diverse media. During that time, great changes have overtaken the media, and continue to do so. The CPBF has evolved to adapt to these changes. Their remit now includes so-called 'mainstream media' and the newer media that have developed, and continue to do so, alongside them.

12. Developing our learning - be able to name the three different types of media organisation.

13. Media organisations 1. Community based media
2. Public/State owned media
3. Privately owned media

14. Which of these three do you think are most significant in society?

15. “The media’s influence on society is on the whole positive?”
TASK: Class debate. Think of as many arguments for/against this statement. To help, try to think what the other side would say!

16. In the 1980’s there were only four TV channels
In the 1980’s there were only four TV channels. How many TV channels are there now?
Some sociologists have expressed concern about recent trends in ownership and control. On the surface the number of media outlets available to the general public has increased dramatically.
TASK: Write as many TV channels you can think of in the ‘TVs’ until I say stop. Think globally!

18. Does an increase in number, mean we can say: today’s media provides more choice for the consumer?
TASK: In your tables consider the question above. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Come up with as many reasons to support your argument. You might want to think about the word ‘choice’.

19. Choice???
This increase indicates that there is more choice now than ever. In your groups discuss whether you believe this to be the case.
Once you have decided on either YES (there is more choice) OR NO (the choice isn’t as great as you would think) try to come up with evidence to support your groups view.
i.e. YES because OR NO because.....

20. Place your explanation under the yes or no category – for example:
There are a wider variety of channels that cater for wider audiences. Services such as sky plus enables you to subscribe to channels and record shows
The quality of shows has declined. In 1983, 46 corporations controlled the vast majority of all media in the USA. However, in 1992, 22 companies owned and operated 90% of the media.
The UK magazine market is dominated by a major company. Marie Claire, Woman, Nuts, Country Life, What’s on TV, Elle, FHM – all owned by IPC – part of Time Warner

21. Main changes: Define these terms
Define the following key terms
Cross-media ownership
Vertical Integration
Diversification
Horizontal integration
Synergy
Technological convergence
Cross-media ownership – bigger media companies often own a range of media. Eg. News Corps also own HarperCollins, New York Post, Fox TV, 20th Century Fox
Vertical Integration – companies are attempting to control all aspects of the industry. Eg. Time Warner make films, own the cinemas, produce and distribute the films, owns TV studios etc
Diversification – companies branch out into new areas to spread the risk. Eg. Virgin airways, music, digital TV etc
Synergy – media companies using different ways to package their products. Eg. Spiderman is not just a movie, but a soundtrack, a comic, a video game etc
Technological convergence – media products that do more than one thing. Eg. A mobile phone which takes video and pictures, downloads movies etc.

22. Cross-media ownership – bigger media companies often own a range of media. Eg. News Corps also own HarperCollins, New York Post, Fox TV, 20th Century Fox
Horizontal Integration - this refers to the fact that global media corporations often cross media boundaries and invest in a wide range of media products. NewsCorp, for example, owns newspapers, magazines, book publishers, terrestrial and satellite television channels and film studios in several countries.
Vertical Integration – companies are attempting to control all aspects of the industry. Eg. Time Warner make films, own the cinemas, produce and distribute the films, owns TV studios etc
Diversification – companies branch out into new areas to spread the risk. Eg. Virgin airways, music, digital TV etc
Synergy – media companies using different ways to package their products. Eg. Spiderman is not just a movie, but a soundtrack, a comic, a video game etc
Technological convergence – media products that do more than one thing. Eg. A mobile phone which takes video and pictures, downloads movies etc.

23. Horizontal integration
NEWS CORPS

24. Vertical integration
Time Warner Film Production and Distribution
Warner Bros Movies

25. Global conglomeration
MTV: now in UK, USA, China, India, Spain, Italy etc...

26. Synergy – media companies have packaged their products in other ways
Spiderman: The soundtrack
Spiderman: The Movie
At cinemas soon!
Buy Spiderman for your Play Station

27. KEY TERM!!
Concentration of Media Organisations: Read info sheet - Write your definition

28. There has been an increased concentration of ownership into a few giant media corporations.
A business firm which is granted separate legal entity from its members
The concentration of media ownership is a term often used to describe a situation where a few corporation own most of the media. Watch out for questions which are phrased like this.

29. There is certainly no denying that the media now offers the consumer a greater selection of media products – this idea is true of all media platforms e.g. magazines, newspapers, music, social media etc.
However, some Sociologists are critical of the idea that greater selection equates greater choice.
The British Print Media
The Neo-Marxist Curran (2003) is one Sociologist who is critical of the idea that greater selection has necessarily meant greater choice.
Curran examines the contemporary British Print Media and notes how 6 individuals dominate the ownership and control of the industry.

30. Who Owns What: The ‘Big 6’
News Corps (Rupert Murdock) – The Times, Sun, News of the World and Sunday Times.
2. Associated Newspapers (Lord Rothermere) – Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Metro, Evening Standard.
3. United Newspapers (Richard Desmond) – Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK Magazine.
4. The Telegraph Group ( Barclays Brothers) – The Telegraph.
5. The Independent (Tony O’Reilly) 0 The Independent / on Sunday.
6. Pearson Group (Viscount Cowdray) – Financial Times, The Economist, Penguin Publishing

31. Time Warner, with major operations in film, television and publishing
Time Warner, with major operations in film, television and publishing. Among its subsidiaries are New Line Cinema, Time Inc., HBO, Turner Broadcasting System, The CW Television Network, TheWB.com, Warner Bros., Kids' WB, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim, CNN, DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network Studios and Castle Rock Entertainment
News Corporation, often abbreviated to News Corp., is the world's third-largest media conglomerate (behind The Walt Disney Company and Time Warner) as of 2008, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009.[The company's Chairman & Chief Executive Officer is Rupert Murdoch.

32. Media Companies have...
...become more transnational – exist in a number of different countries

33. ..become more diverse – have an interest in many different forms of media

34. Monopoly Pluralism Discussion
Why is it important that media is owned by many companies, rather than just one?
From a Marxist point of view, do these companies promote capitalist interests? What is the pluralist theory of media ownership?
A THEORY THAT SOCIETY IS MADE UP OF MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS, ALL HAVING MORE OR LESS EQUAL POWER.
Monopoly
Pluralism

35. Private ownership Global Murdoch empire PLURALISM
A THEORY THAT SOCIETY IS MADE UP OF MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS, ALL HAVING MORE OR LESS EQUAL POWER.

36. Does it matter who owns the media?
Rupert Murdoch
Australian American business magnate. Murdoch became managing director of Australia's News Limited, inherited from his father, in He is the founder, Chairman and CEO of global media holding company News Corporation, the world's second-largest media conglomerate.
In the 1950s and '60s, he acquired various newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, before expanding into the United Kingdom in 1969, taking over the News of the World followed closely by The Sun.
He owns the Times, the Sun the News of the World and the Sunday Times
Murdoch faced allegations that his companies, including the News of the World, owned by News Corporation, had been regularly hacking the phones of celebrities, royalty and public citizens. He faces police and government investigations into bribery and corruption by the British government and FBI investigations in the

37. Research: case study
Using the internet and the links on your hand-outs, research the case study over growing concerns over the power and influence of media ownership and explain issues that the CPBF are concerned about the level of ownership and control of the media.
Then research the Sutton trust – find out the educational background of leading journalists and how this affects powerful groups in society and the way media is controlled.

38. Links you can use for research

39. Home learning: Friday 18th
Learn the key words we have covered today –revise notes on ownership and censorship
Explain the differences between vertical and horizontal integration (4 marks)
Explain what sociologists mean by pluralism in mass media (4 marks)
Explain what sociologists mean by monopoly in mass media (4 marks).