Marxist views on media ownership

Question 1

Bourgeoisie

Answer 1

Ruling class, own most wealth, elite

Question 2

Proletariat

Answer 2

Working class, wage earners

Question 3

Proprietors

Answer 3

Owners of business/property

Question 4

2 types of Marxism

Answer 4

• Traditional

- Neo- marxism

Question 5

Traditional Marxism summary

Answer 5

• Hyperdermic syringe model = Packard
• Directly controlled
• Bourgeoisie intentionally exploit and brainwash proletariat

Question 6

Neo-Marxism summary

Answer 6

• New
• Selective filter model = Klapper
• Indirectly controlled
• The Bourgeoise things are done indirectly

Question 7

Traditional Marxism

Answer 7

• Owners have direct control
• Audience is assumed to be passive
• Owners use the media to spread ideas which shows the powers of ruling class
• Media managers have to follow the wishes of their owners

Question 8

Marcuse

Answer 8

Mass media promotes consumerism and gives the working class false needs and in turn the minimal money given to the w/c is given to the ruling class

Question 9

Miliband

Answer 9

• ‘Opium of the masses’
• Drug
• Addictive
• Majority

Question 10

Curran

Answer 10

Suggests that evidence for owner inteference in and manipulation of content is strong
- Majority of newspapers have supported the Conservative Party

Question 11

Lord Beaverbrook

Answer 11

• Runs the daily express for the “purpose of making propoganda and with no other motive”
• Put across conservative views
• Having several meetings with Hitler

Question 12

Contemporary evidence = Rupert Murdoch

Answer 12

He can:

• Have direct control of media content
• Can and do interfere with media content
• Owned the sun newspaper
• “It was the sun wot won it”

Question 13

David Cameron

Answer 13

Had meetings on his yatch and wanted to influence his audience

Question 14

Murdoch X MU football club

Answer 14

• Put in a bid for Manchester united

- Department of trade and industry rejected his bid, claiming he’d have too much power

Question 15

Anecdotal

Answer 15

However, Marxists are suggesting that media owners, wealth holders and political elite are in an ideological conspiracy to brainwash the population, sociologists have only anecdotal evidence

Question 16

Hegemony

Answer 16

Leadership

Question 17

Agenda setting

Answer 17

Ability to influence through media

Question 18

Infotainment

Answer 18

Broadcast material

Question 19

GUMG (Glasgow University Media Group)

Answer 19

• Point out that journalists tend to be male, white middle class
• 54% = privately educated
• Believe in consensus views and ideas

Question 20

Agenda setting

Answer 20

• GUMG argues that media present society with a narrow agenda for discussion
• Agenda setting results in cultural hegemony
• Gramsci came up with the idea of hegemony
• Argues there is little choice for the audience

Question 21

Summary of the Neo-Marxist view

Answer 21

Media doesn’t intentionally brainwash people, this would be too difficult, instead the owners are mainly white, male and middle class

• Reinforces capitalist ideology, school, religion and workplace reinforce these values
• Creating false class consciousness

Question 22

Murdoch’s decisions

Answer 22

• Relocating the production of his British newspapers to use new tech
• Sacked editors who didn’t share his views
• Reduced price of newspapers to drive out competitions