PERSPECTIVES ON MASS MEDIA
Issues are ownership, control and output
THE MASS MANIPULATIVE MODEL
- Term used by Cohne and Young, dominant mass manipulative theory but also critics who fear the power of the media to create a mass culture and morally corrupt society.
- Audiences are passive and uncritical receivers.
- Marxists say the media transmit the dominant ideology to keep the working class falsely conscious.
- People persuaded to consume.
- Fantasy distracts from miseries of capitalism.
- Between Marxists, ???instrumentalists??? say the media's directly controlled by the ruling class, structuralists say journalists and editors are themselves influenced by ruling class ideology and willingly go along with the interests of capitalists.
Evalualtion
Interactionalists say that viewers are not passive sponges, and that they make choices and if enough want something, then it would be provided as it's profitable.
THE MARKET MODEL
-
Uncritical view of the media.
-
Viewers choose what they want and provide profits.
-
The media seek audiences and give people what they want.
-
All sorts of opinions are broadcast, only the illegal and unsalable are broadcast.
Evaluation
-
Pluralists support this, and say the free press is an important watchdog. They fear the domination of the media by governments of monopolies.
-
The New Right also fear government, opposing regulation. But the political and religious right may say that censorship should operate if it corrupts audiences.
THE INTERACTIONIST MODEL
Combines some of two previous results. No ruling class, but the media does reflect the interests of more powerful groups. The media reinforce this culture, which is pro-capitalist, sexist and racist.
Evaluation
-
Possible left wing bias.
-
Methods used to identify the prevailing culture involves sociologists interpreting what's in the media, which they see according to their own expectations.
Extra Informaiton
Pluralists - believe that power in democracy is widely dispersed.