Rupert Murdoch´S Media Monopoly

about. The 1940’s and 1950’s marked the era in which television really began to take hold in the

Recent and historical events throughout television history have demanded a redefinition of the medium in contemporary culture. Throughout its history television has predominantly relied upon industry practices established early in the 1960s, however, the turn of the century has produced such divergence from these practices that some scholars are defining it as an entirely new era of television. Lotz, for example, employs the term ‘post-network’, an indication of televisions separation from earlier dominant network practices (9). For the most part, Lotz and scholars alike agree that this transition has stemmed from changes in the industrial norms of producing, financing, and distributing television, as well new introductions to the industry such as the arrival of digital technologies. This essay will agree with these scholars, arguing that significant changes to the Western television industry has resulted in a new, distinctive era of television culture.

Television’s rise of popularity had a strict impact on the 1950’s and the America we know today, both positively and negatively. According to James L. Baughman, ” … an unpublished NBC study indicated that only 9 percent of all homes in South Dakota had TV sets…”. “Until 1955, most homes in America did not own a television. The rate of TV’s in homes, though, increased by 82.8% from 1948-1958. A possible explanation for the sudden rise of popularity in television could be explained by looking at the past. In the past eras, Americans had been threatened, and were still being threatened with the burdens of the Depression and the Cold War (Wright and Press 729). Perhaps the citizens of the US wanted to push their troubles beside and enjoy relaxing with their family, likely by watching their television set. However, “It sent

This will lead to the mass media homogeneity that will dissolve cultural differences. Cultural imperialism started right after decolonization when political or military control of another country could not be practiced. Psychological forms of control began to be used and were facilitated through the rapid integration of global telecommunications systems. They pushed American culture that promoted the ideas of consumption and instant gratification that would spread global capitalism and increase profits. The cultural imperialism argument has several strengths as well as weaknesses. It’s main strength is based on the idea that mass media from larger nations negatively affects the smaller nations because the national identity of smaller nations is lessened or lost due to media homogeneity inherent in mass media from the larger countries. Sometimes local interpreters keep some cultural diversification by transforming the imported media to meet local demand. The media is still influenced by the core but is also still unique and successful. Examples of this include the success of Korean pop music and Bollywood cinema in their respective “geolinguistic region.” The media imperialism theory fails to fully understand the internal historical and social dynamics within periphery countries. The West may have implanted the model of television consumerism, but the West is not required to sustain it and today many US programs lead the world in their transportability across cultural boundaries but are rarely the most popular when viewers have reasonable local options. (L&B p340-342)(Peripheral Vision) The social construction of reality theory attempts to explain how and why individuals view the world in a certain way and what role the media plays in shaping that view. It suggests that the media actually

Many inventions throughout history have made their mark on contemporary American society, but none so much so as television. According to Mitchell Stephens in his article entitled History of Television, “Before 1947, the number of U.S. homes with television sets could be measured in the thousands. By the late 1990’s, 98 percent of U.S. homes had at least one television set, and those sets were on for an average of more than seven hours a day.” As the quality of the image improved over the years, so have the number of televisions in American homes. According to an article in TIME magazine in 2009, “The first

Over the centuries, the media has played a significant role in the shaping of societies across the globe. This is especially true of developed nations where media access is readily available to the average citizen. The media has contributed to the creation of ideologies and ideals within a society. The media has such an effect on social life, that a simple as a news story has the power to shake a nation. Because of this, governments around the world have made it their duty to be active in the regulation and control of media access in their countries. The media however, has quickly become dominated by major mega companies who own numerous television, radio and movie companies both nationally and

Your television and computer are controlling every choice you make. Scary thought? Everyday Americans log into their computer or turn on their TV and are fed information from our trusted media. In fact, a Marshall survey states, “By 2015, it is estimated that Americans will consume both traditional and digital media for over 1.7 trillion hours, an average of approximately 5 and a half hours per person per day.” Unknowingly at times, we are allowing our media to shape the choices we make, the ways we see others, and the way we view ourselves. With most of Americans unaware of the media's control on their choices and views, this can be an alarming realization. Media has a major impact on multiple parts of our society.

After World War II, technology was advancing and converting from military orientation to more consumer based companies. One of the new technology devices that were introduced to American consumers was television. American television in the 1940’s and 1950’s became a link marvel between Americans, podcasting news, shows, and movies. American television during the 1940’s and the 1950’s played a major rule in preserving American social values and it became an effective tool for politicians and the government goals and agendas. Television keept the American culture and values untouched by promoting television shows that confronted Communism,

In May 2003, Rupert Murdoch became the poster-boy for critics of media deregulation in the United States, when borrowing from the tabloid style of  Murdoch’s very own news organizations, several grassroots groups banded together to place full-page display ads in major newspapers, featuring four close-up shots of a scowling Murdoch over a banner headline that read, ‘This Man Wants to Control the News in America’ (https: //www.moveon. org/monopoly/). Widely characterized as the quintessential global media baron, Murdoch was then in the process of acquiring Direct TV in the US and Telepiu in Italy, key links in a global satellite TV empire that spans Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. In the eyes of many, this gives Murdoch unprecedented

Media Industries are significant within the life of modern society, providing the primary sources of information and entertainment. Media industries maintain the role of gatekeepers of news and information, as self-proclaimed guardians of freedom of speech and as self-appointed watchdogs on government and business attracting ever increasing attention from a sceptical public and policy-makers. Self – regulation has been the main structure and determinant within the Australian media industry, however, technological advances are now forcing new developments and fundamental changes upon the media as new approaches from policy-makers are focusing on improved structures that best serve the public interest within the modern world.

Television has been a big part of American culture; it has been used as a form of advertisement and communication for generations. Many businesses over the years have been using television as a way to reach out to the public. T.V does not only market products, but also various ideas. In recent times, it seems broadcast television is under pressure. The speculated pressure is due to an upraise of services such as, YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix. Some argue, younger generations are slowly moving away from broadcast television entirely, and moving to online sources, seeking new ways to view content. They speculate new online content sources, will put an end to the classic antenna. The opposition argues, the flourishing of things like YouTube and Hulu are more of an extension to broadcast television, not ending the

Citizens do not get to elect the individuals such as Rupert Murdoch, who sit at the peak of huge conglomerates with immense influence on society (Shah, 2012). Cooperate elites and CEO 's at the top of conglomerates have an overwhelming amount of political and economic power. These individuals can filter, change, be extremely selective and strategic about what media they produce and disrupt. As a result, the media landscape becomes distorted and the public interest is compromised. Rupert Murdoch is a key individual within the sphere of media conglomerates. Murdoch has media giants all over the world. Murdoch controls two thirds of the newspaper markets in Australis, has a large share of British media, and has broadcast networks all over America Europe and Asia (Beder, 2012). I argue that he is the king of convergence and the master of manipulation. Murdoch serves as the perfect example for illustrating the effects of cooperate media elites pollution of the public sphere.

He explains, “All of the US multimedia empires, along with their extensive adverting networks, project and encourage US tastes, values, mores, history, culture and language around the world”(Lule, 76). Lule notes that the media allows for economic globalization to be possible by creating an ideal of the world’s economy. The media portrayal of the Greece’s financial crisis sent the world into a frenzy, with society questioning what will become of the worlds economy if Greece departed the EU. Lastly, Lule asserts, “The media are themselves now transnational global corporations that help drive globalization even as they embody globalization”(Lule, 69). Considering that the bulk of media is controlled by conglomerates, there is little to no room for an unbiased

According to David Held and colleagues, 1999, there are five major shifts that have contributed to bringing about the global media order. The first of these five shifts is the increasing concentration of ownership. This means that the global media is now dominated by a small number of powerful, centralized media conglomerates. Sociological theories of the various forms of the media shows us that they can never be assumed to be politically neutral or socially beneficial. For many people the key problem is the increasing concentration of ownership of different types of media within large conglomerates that have come to be known as super companies. Many of the vast media conglomerates have gone on to form media empires which control the flow of information across the world. Some of these media empires are Time Warner, ABC/Disney, and Viacom. The idea of media super companies is one that creates discomfort for many, and not one which people should aspire to. Where enthusiasts see a dream, critics see a nightmare. As media corporations become even more concentrated, centralized, and global in their reach, there is reason to be concerned that the important role of the media as a forum for free speech, expression, and debate will be curtailed. A single company that controls both the content, as well as the means of distribution is in a position of great power. It can promote its own material, exercise self-censorship, and even cross endorse products within its own empire at the

Current news media can no longer be considered to occupy the position of a fourth estate [Writer Name] [Institute Name] Current news media can no longer be considered to occupy the position of a fourth estate Introduction The new media distinctively associated with the nineteenth and twentieth century— the press, radio and television, the cinema and the record industry have traditionally been grouped together under the heading 'mass media’ and their study developed as a part of the sociology of mass communications (Jim, and William, 2007). At one level, this inherited vocabulary fulfils a useful descriptive function; people know what is being referred to when such terms as the media of mass communication are used. At another level, however, such terms may prove positively misleading. It is dear, for example, that the news media which are customarily referred to in this way resemble one another only superficially. The relationships between the state and broadcasting institutions, for example, are quite different from those which obtain between the state and the press or, different yet again, between the state and the cinema. Similarly, the relationship between industry and audience is quite differently articulated in the case of the record industry as compared with the film industry (Myria, 2014). Discussion Access to knowledge is important to the health of democracy for minimum two causes. First, it assures that people make responsible, informed options despite than acting