1. Global media corporations

2. Media technology Information, data and entertainment can be delivered using different technology ‘platforms’. The number of platforms has expanded rapidly in the last 100 years. Global media corporations are usually ‘multi-platform’, meaning they deliver content to millions of people (mass media) in diversified ways There are seven main forms of mass media: TechnologyDate Printed books15 th century Newspapers17 th century Magazines18 th century Filmc. 1900 Music recordsc. 1900 Radioc. 1920 Television1936 (BBC) Video1970s Internet1990s Social mediaMid 2000s Streaming mediaMid 2000s BroadcastFilmPrintInternetAudio Video games Outdoor

3. Global media corporations Global TNCs The largest media TNCs are from the USA, and to a lesser extent Europe. Many have their roots in Hollywood movies and US television stations, but have diversified into telephone and internet provision as well as print media. Media TNCs with a global reach originate from the Western, capitalist world and English is their ‘first language’. Many operate worldwide in multiple languages. TimeWarner subsidiary companies Turner Broadcasting System Warner Bros Entertainment Home Box OfficeTime Inc Television production and broadcasting MoviesPay TVNewspapers, magazine, news and lifestyle internet sites CNN, Cartoon Network, TNT, TCM Warner Brothers pictures HBO, CinemaxTime magazine, Marie- Claire, Nuts, Fortune

4. Global media corporations 10 largest global media corporations TNCCountry2012 revenue ($ billion) Selected brands ComcastUSA63NBC, Universal, CNBC Walt Disney Co.USA42Disney, ABC, ESPN, Pixar News Corporation*USA34Fox, HarperCollins, NatGeo Time WarnerUSA29Warner Bros, CNN, HBO BertelsmannGer.22Penguin, RTL, Direct Group ViacomUSA14MTV, Paramount CBS Corp.USA14CBS, Simon & Schuster Liberty MediaUSA11QVC, Barnes & Noble BSkyBUK11Sky GannettUSA5USA Today *Split in 2013 into News Corp and 21 st Century Fox.

5. Global media corporations Mergers and acquisitions A key feature of the global media industry since 1980 is the merger of small companies into larger ones, and the acquisition of small companies by large TNCs. This has reduced the number of dominant media TNCs from about 50 in 1980 to around 10 today. Small, local, media companies operating in one language have been replaced by globally-known brands operating worldwide in multiple languages.

6. Global media corporations State ownership In many countries, some media channels (especially TV and radio) are state-owned or state-chartered (like the BBC). This reflects the power of mass media messages, and that governments want to either control the ‘message’ or at least broadcast ‘their ‘version’. In the globalised era, state-sponsored TV channels aimed at a worldwide audience are increasingly available on cable and satellite. This allows a state-sponsored message to be transmitted to the widest possible audience — usually in English and other languages. CountryCompany (and TV channel) FranceFrance Televisions (France 24) QatarAl Jazeera Media Network (Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera America) RussiaRIA Novosti (Russia Today / RT) IranIRIB (Press TV) JapanNHK (NHK World) ChinaChina Central Television (CCTV-News)

7. Global media corporations Costs and benefits of global media corporations Benefits Capable of investing in new technology and platforms to reach more people Spread news to areas once isolated Large enough to react and report from anywhere on the globe May be a force for freedom and democracy, and have a role in uncovering corruption and wrong-doing Costs Local news and content is reduced by standardised national/global content All TNCs present a very similar view worldwide (pro-capitalism, pro- democracy) which stifles debate Media content is standardised and ‘dumbed down’ to appeal to a mass market, reducing choice and innovation