Pluralist Approaches to Ownership and Control of the Media | The Media | AQA A-Level Sociology
Summary
TLDRThis sociology tutorial video explores the pluralist approach to media ownership and control. Pluralism emphasizes the variety of media sources available, reflecting diverse audience interests and needs. It contrasts with Marxist views by suggesting that media ownership is more dispersed and that content is driven by audience demand. The video discusses how media caters to different social groups and political ideologies, using examples like alternative news outlets and the impact of new media platforms. It also touches on the democratic nature of media, where audience choices shape content creation, and the economic motivations behind media production. Despite criticisms, pluralism maintains that the media landscape offers consumers a range of choices.
Takeaways
- đ Pluralism in media focuses on the variety of sources available and how they reflect diverse audience interests and needs.
- đ Pluralists argue against Marxist views by stating that media ownership is more spread out and not concentrated in the hands of a few powerful entities.
- đ The audience's demand influences media content, as owners cater to their preferences to maintain viewership and readership.
- đ Media is seen as a product driven by rational economics, with content creation based on market demand and profitability.
- đ The rise of New Media, such as YouTube and blogs, offers a platform for alternative viewpoints and caters to niche audiences.
- đ° Newspapers, both mainstream and alternative, reflect the pluralist view by providing a spectrum of political ideologies and interests.
- đ Media sources collect data on audience preferences to tailor content, ensuring they align with what the public wants to consume.
- đș Popular content formats are often replicated across different platforms to meet audience demand, as seen with reality TV shows.
- đž Media businesses rely on advertising revenue or subscriptions, which means they must create content that appeals to their audience to stay profitable.
- đłïž Pluralism views media as democratic, with content being a reflection of popular culture and audience choices shaping what is produced.
- đ€ Criticisms of pluralism include the argument that media owners manipulate content to create a false sense of choice and promote false needs.
Q & A
What is the pluralist approach to the media?
-The pluralist approach to the media focuses on the wide range of media sources available to consumers and how these different forms of media reflect the interests and needs of the audience.
How does pluralism view media ownership compared to Marxist approaches?
-Pluralists argue that media ownership is more diverse compared to Marxist views, which focus on concentration of media ownership into the hands of a few powerful groups.
What role does audience choice play in the pluralist perspective of media?
-In the pluralist perspective, audience choice is central. Media owners and controllers look to represent the views of the audience by offering content that meets their demands.
How does the pluralist approach explain the existence of alternative media sources?
-Pluralists suggest that alternative media sources exist because media is driven by rational economics; if there is a demand for a specific type of content, media owners will create it.
What is an example of alternative media sources mentioned in the script?
-Examples of alternative media sources mentioned include Guido Fawkes, Breitbart, Novara Media, and The Canary, which provide alternatives to mainstream media.
How does the pluralist approach view the relationship between media and popular culture?
-Pluralists view media as democratic and promoting aspects of popular culture, with iconic moments from TV dramas and comedy becoming part of the cultural framework.
What is the role of advertising revenue and subscriptions in media production according to pluralism?
-According to pluralism, media sources are often based on advertising revenue or income from subscriptions, and this demand-led approach influences the content created to ensure profitability.
How does the pluralist approach respond to criticism that media promotes false needs and illusions of choice?
-Pluralists argue that despite criticisms, the range of media sources means that people still have a choice to switch over or click onto another website if they don't agree with the messages being promoted.
What does the pluralist approach suggest about the influence of the audience on media content?
-Pluralists suggest that the audience dictates content to a certain extent and even creates it, as seen in the rise of memes and social media engagement.
How does the pluralist approach view the impact of New Media on media diversity?
-The pluralist approach sees the explosion of New Media in the digital age as evidence of increased choice and diversity, even if the majority of media promotes similar ideals.
Outlines
đș Pluralist Approach to Media Ownership and Control
This paragraph introduces the pluralist approach to media studies, emphasizing the diversity of media sources available to consumers and how they reflect the interests and needs of the audience. Pluralism contrasts with Marxist views by arguing that media ownership is not concentrated in the hands of a few powerful groups but is more widespread. It suggests that media owners cater to audience demands by offering diverse content, and that the media landscape is driven by market forces. Examples of alternative media sources like YouTube and blogs are given to illustrate how niche interests are served. The paragraph also discusses how media sources use data on audience preferences to create popular content, and how this approach is seen as democratic, with media reflecting societal demographics and popular culture.
đ€ Critique of Pluralism in Media Studies
The second paragraph critiques the pluralist approach by presenting alternative viewpoints, primarily from Marxist perspectives. It suggests that pluralism overlooks the fact that media owners, editors, and reporters manipulate content to create a false sense of choice for the audience. Near-Marxists argue that the media promotes false needs and an illusion of choice, despite the availability of various TV channels and streaming services that often produce similar content. The paragraph also discusses the challenges of maintaining a pluralist media landscape in the 21st century, as noted by Davies, but concludes that the digital age and the rise of new media platforms provide evidence of a wide range of choices for consumers, supporting the pluralist view that the audience has a significant role in dictating and creating media content.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄPluralism
đĄMedia Ownership
đĄAudience Demand
đĄNew Media
đĄRational Economics
đĄPublic Interest
đĄDemocracy in Media
đĄAdvertising Revenue
đĄSubscription Services
đĄCultural Framework
đĄFalse Consciousness
Highlights
Pluralism focuses on the wide range of media sources available to consumers.
Pluralism argues that media ownership is more diverse than Marxist approaches suggest.
Different forms of media are believed to reflect the interests and needs of the audience.
Media is driven by rational economics, creating content based on audience demand.
New Media, such as YouTube or blogs, provides alternative content for niche audiences.
The broad choice of media sources means there is something for everyone.
Alternative political views are increasingly promoted online.
Media sources spend time and money understanding their audience's tastes and preferences.
Popular content is often replicated across different platforms to meet audience demand.
Media sources base their content on advertising revenue or subscription income.
Media is democratic, based on the choices people make about what they consume.
Media promotes aspects of popular culture and can become part of the cultural framework.
The audience dictates content to a certain extent and even creates it.
Marxist critics argue that the media creates a false consciousness of choice.
Near Marxists suggest that the media promotes false needs through advertising.
Davies suggests that pluralism faces challenges in the 21st century but still offers choice.
The digital age and New Media make it difficult to argue against the existence of choice.
Transcripts
welcome to this tutor to you sociology
topic video looking at ownership and
control of the media focusing on
pluralist approaches
you studying the media sociologists
often discuss the pluralist approach but
what is pluralism
pluralism is an approach to the media
that focuses on The Wider range of media
sources that are available to Consumers
and how these different forms of media
reflect the interests and needs of the
audience
whilst Marxist approaches focus on the
concentration of media ownership into
the hands of a few powerful groups
pluralists argue that media ownership is
more diverse
they also argue that a range of
viewpoints are promoted by these diverse
media owners
as the audience for media has more
Choice the owners and those that control
the media will look to represent the
views of the Audience by offering
content that meets the demands of Their
audience
pluralists suggest that media like any
other product that is consumed is driven
by rational economics
if there is a demand for a specific type
of content then those who own in
controller media will create that
content
if there is limited demand then it is
unlikely to be produced or may be
produced by smaller media sources for
example through New Media such as
YouTube or blogs
whale argues that the broad choice of
media sources available means that there
is something for everyone
and that all of the different social
groups political ideologies and key
demographics are catered For
example with newspapers whilst there are
many newspapers that conform to
mainstream media
stereotypes there are alternative
Publications available either online or
in print
this can be further evidenced than the
era of New Media with the growth of
alternative political views being
promoted online for example Guido Forks
Breitbart Novara media and the canary
all providing alternatives to the
mainstream media and its middle of the
road approach
whilst these will not be as popular as
traditional forms of media such as the
Daily Mail the Sun or the mirror they do
cater for those with alternative
political views and in contemporary
Society they are growing in popularity
which reflects the pluralist view that
media is created as a result of public
interest
pluralists argue that media is dictated
by the audience and that media sources
spend money and time collating data on
circulation figures viewing figures and
compiling surveys and polls on the
tastes and preferences of Their audience
pluralists argue that the most popular
forms of content are often replicated
across different platforms is Media
sources no that is what people want and
like
programs such as Strictly Come Dancing
and love Island will create Copycat
shows or spin-offs to complement the
viewers experiences
Trends such as those are reality TV in
the late 1990s and early part of the
21st century may have started with
programs such as big brother but similar
formats were used in order to meet the
demands of the audience
one of the main reasons for this
demand-led approach is that media
sources are often based on either
advertising revenue or income from
subscriptions
if people don't get what they want then
Revenue decreases as people turn off or
stop buying the publication
media is a demand-led business and
owners and those in control of the media
focus on creating content that will meet
those demands and be profitable
pluralists argue that the media is
democratic it is based upon the choices
that people make about what they watch
or what they read or what they listen to
media sources look to reflect the social
demographics of society
in New Media this is even more important
to subscription services and social
media platforms are based upon revenues
earned
and if there is no audience there is no
revenue and so popular programming is
promoted
commercial television is Reliant upon
advertising and so viewing figures for a
program are low advertisers will not pay
to advertise their product when that
program is on
media is also perceived as Democratic as
it promotes aspects of popular culture
iconic moments in history or scenes from
TV dramas and comedy become part of the
cultural framework
even unexpected moments can become memes
in the world of social media and this
reflects pluralist ideas that the
audience dictates content
and to a certain extent creates it
however pluralist approaches have been
criticized by other approaches
Marxist suggests that it is not the
audience that chooses the content but
rather the owners editors and reporters
who manipulate the media creating a
false consciousness that we have a
choice in what we watch when in reality
it's chosen for us
near marxists suggest that plural is
failed to take into account that the
media promotes false needs through
advertising whilst also promoting an
illusion of choice
for example through different TV
channels or streaming services that
largely produce similar content
whilst all the pluralists suggest that
owners and those that control the media
make rational economic decisions
Davies has suggested that this becomes
increasingly difficult in the 21st
century
but that the range of media sources
means that people still have a choice to
switch over or click onto another
website if they don't agree with the
messages being promoted
with the explosion of New Media in the
digital age it's difficult to argue that
there is not a choice
even if the majority of media promotes
similar ideals
that concludes this tutor to you
sociology topic video on ownership and
control of the media looking at
pluralist approaches thanks for watching
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)