One of the key issues to arise in the contemporary global media framework is that of concentration of media ownership. This is occurring at quite a rapid rate, with ten corporations dominating the industry in 2001 (Breit 2001, p.217), and this number reduced to six in 2010. These six organisations holding the media oligopoly are Time Warner, Disney, Viacom, General Electric (NBC), News Corp and CBS (Free Press 2010.)
This trend has serious ramifications on the integrity of journalism. It provides these media giants with the opportunity to spread their subjective standpoints through the news on a global basis. Democratic countries like Australia, need to encourage diversity in media ownership to minimise the risk that citizens information adversely affected by the interests of the media institution which provide it. Currently in Australia there is arguably a problem with a lack of media diversity. Competing media providers, Fairfax Publications and News Corp own over 90 per cent of Australia`s newspaper industry combined (Australian Collaboration 2010.) The graph below shows the trend of media ownership in an American context which mirrors the concentration taking place in Australia (and in all capitalist Western nations.) Therefore there is a potential for media owners to misuse their power in media reporting in ``agenda-setting.`` For example Rupert Murdoch is known for his right-wing political bias, which is believed to shine through in the content of News Corp`s news services. In 2007 he even admitted to attempts to shape public opinion in support of the Bush administration`s decision to initiate war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Arguably the onset of online citizen journalism (which I have scrutinised in previous blog entries) provides an alternative to this concentrated media sphere. However the legitimacy of citizen journalism when compared with traditional media institutions held in lower esteem.
(Radio Liverpool 2010.)
Laws in Australia have even been changed to allow a greater level of media ownership. In 2007 the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) was amended to relax foreign-ownership and cross-media ownership laws, meaning that corporations have increased rights in owning two out of three media outlets (radio, newspapers, television) in a certain geographical area (Woolrich 2007.) According to a 2006 Roy Morgan poll, over 80 per cent of journalists opposed the new media laws on the grounds that it will lower the quality and diversity of news coverage (Australian Collaboration 2010.) Seventy-one per cent thought that the changes would give media owners too much influence over the political agenda (Australian Collaboration 2010.) Ironically, the purpose of the Act is to encourage diversity and quality of media services in Australia. In the current framework, it is likely that media ownership continues in concentration and convergence in the future based on current trends.
References -
Australian Collaboration 2010, `Democracy in Australia - Media concentration and media laws,` Australian Collaboration, viewed 27 August 2010, http://www.australiancollaboration.com.au/democracy/commentaries/Media_Laws.pdf.
Breit, R. 2001, `Journalism in the global village,` in Tapsall, S. &Varley, C. (eds), Journalism Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Free Press 2010, `Ownership Chart: The Big Six,` Free Press, viewed 27 August 2010, http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main.
Radio Liverpool 2010, 'Mind Control Theories and Techniques used by Mass Media,' Radio Liverpool, 12 May, viewed 27 August 2010, <http://www.radioliverpool.com/newsblog/files/a4d542f6bacc0789ba9484fc68e09e89-11.html>.
Woolrich, N. 2007, `First day of new media ownership laws,` ABC News, 4 April, viewed 27 August 2010, http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/business/items/200704/s1890133.htm.
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