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    Power and Media Industries Curran & Seaton

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    abuc2983
    Curran and Seaton argue that media diversity is important for democracy and that conglomerate ownership can limit variety in media. They propose that public service broadcasting and independent producers can help increase diversity by providing alternative content not driven solely by profit. A varied media landscape with different types of owners supports more adventurous and socially diverse content.

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    Power and Media Industries Curran & Seaton

    Uploaded by

    abuc2983
    3K views17 pages
    Curran and Seaton argue that media diversity is important for democracy and that conglomerate ownership can limit variety in media. They propose that public service broadcasting and independent producers can help increase diversity by providing alternative content not driven solely by profit. A varied media landscape with different types of owners supports more adventurous and socially diverse content.

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    Curran & Seaton's theory into power and the Media Industry

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    Curran and Seaton argue that media diversity is important for democracy and that conglomerate ownership can limit variety in media. They propose that public service broadcasting and independent producers can help increase diversity by providing alternative content not driven solely by profit. A varied media landscape with different types of owners supports more adventurous and socially diverse content.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    3K views17 pages

    Power and Media Industries Curran & Seaton

    Uploaded by

    abuc2983
    Curran and Seaton argue that media diversity is important for democracy and that conglomerate ownership can limit variety in media. They propose that public service broadcasting and independent producers can help increase diversity by providing alternative content not driven solely by profit. A varied media landscape with different types of owners supports more adventurous and socially diverse content.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 17
    At a glance
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    The key takeaways are that media ownership should promote diversity and competition to serve the public interest. However, large conglomerates primarily focus on profit and power which can limit variety. Public service broadcasters and independent producers provide alternatives that support a more diverse media landscape.

    One issue with conglomerate ownership of multiple media companies is that it can result in monopolies across industries. This can distort democracy if the focus is solely on profit, leading conglomerates to limit risks and variety in their media products.

    Alternatives to conglomerate ownership include public service broadcasters that are intended for public benefit rather than profit, as well as independent producers that provide niche content as an alternative to the mainstream.

    MEDIA INDUSTRIES THEORY #1

    Power and Media Industries


    James Curran and Jean Seaton
    Curran and Seaton on the need for diversity:

    ‘diversity is in the public interest – but


    modern societies suffer from collective
    attention deficit disorders[…] the public
    interest has to work harder to be noticed,
    and we need agile but resourceful media
    to do that’
    - James Curran and Jean Seaton
    KEY TERM: monopoly
    monopoly
    = the exclusive ownership or control of something

    How might this version of


    the Monopoly board game
    be symbolic?
    KEY TERM: conglomerate
    conglomerate
    = a large corporation consisting of multiple smaller
    companies

    KEY TERM: subsidiary


    subsidiary
    = a smaller company owned by a large corporation

    Can you think of any significant examples from the


    media industry? Film, TV, newspapers, online?
    TASK 1: Conglomerates and subsidiaries

    Disney is one of the ‘Big Six’ media conglomerates.


    It owns multiple subsidiaries, such as:

    …and many more!


    TASK 1: Conglomerates and subsidiaries
    If these are the subsidiaries, what is the conglomerate?
    TASK 1: Conglomerates and subsidiaries
    If these are the subsidiaries, what is the conglomerate?
    Curran and Seaton on monopoly:

    ‘it [extends] their range of business and political


    connections, [increases] their corporation’s
    prestige and, through judicious editorial
    appointments, [contributes] to the maintenance
    of public opinion favorable to private enterprise’
    - James Curran and Jean Seaton

    It is essential to remember that conglomerates are


    primarily driven by the logic of profit and power!
    TASK 2: Conglomerates and monopoly
    What is an issue with a conglomerate owning multiple
    media companies in different industries?
    KEY FACTS: conglomerates and monopoly
    COPY THIS DOWN!
    • Having a monopoly means domination of multiple
    media industries
    • If the focus is on creating profit, generally
    conglomerates don’t take risks with the media
    products they produce
    • This often results in limited variety, creativity and
    quality

    ‘anti-monopoly media regulation is needed not only to


    maintain fair competition but also to prevent the
    distortion of democracy.’
    - James Curran and Jean Seaton
    What are the alternatives to conglomerate ownership?

    ‘Media policy should seek[…] to create the conditions


    of greatest possible competition, thus enabling
    consumers to exercise sovereign control. This produces
    media that people want, a wide range of choice, and
    media independence from government’
    - James Curran and Jean Seaton
    KEY TERM: Public service broadcasting
    public service broadcasting
    = broadcasting intended for public benefit rather
    than to serve purely commercial interests

    ‘British broadcasting was started as a public


    service, and this proved as creative commercially
    as it was innovative culturally.’
    - James Curran and Jean Seaton
    The BBC & public service broadcasting
    • The BBC was set up in 1922 with
    the mission statement to
    ‘inform, educate and entertain’
    • It is government-owned and paid
    for by the tax payer
    • It aims to represent the diversity
    of the UK, sustain citizenship and
    stimulate culture & creativity

    How does BBC Radio 4’s Late Night


    Woman’s Hour fit the BBC’s PSB
    remit? Listen to a recent episode:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02zhq5l
    KEY TERM: independent producer
    Independent producer
    = free from outside control

    Independents offer something different to conglomerates

    “We will reflect the diversity of Britain; culturally


    and geographically. We will reflect the energy of
    our multicultural society[…] We will reflect the
    complexity of Britain back to itself[…]”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2GKVtWsXKY

    Watch the trailer for Trainspotting (1996). How does


    the film reflect the Channel 4 mission statement?
    Why might this attitude be a positive thing?
    KEY FACTS: A diverse media landscape
    COPY THIS DOWN!
    • Public Service Broadcasters produce content without the sole
    intention of profit. This results in a more varied range of
    content across multiple media industries.
    • Independent producers contribute to this creativity and
    variety by providing niche products that often act as the
    alternative to the mainstream.
    • These socially diverse patterns of ownership support a more
    varied and adventurous media landscape.

    ‘diversity is in the public interest – but modern societies suffer


    from collective attention deficit disorders[…] the public interest
    has to work harder to be noticed, and we need agile but
    resourceful media to do that’
    - James Curran and Jean Seaton
    MAIN TASK: researching institutions
    As part of our study into film marking and advertising,
    we explore two differing film products: Straight Outta
    Compton (2015) and I, Daniel Blake (2016).

    Research and make notes on


    the production contexts for
    the two films.
    In what ways do they reflect
    the differing aspects of
    Curran and Seaton’s theory?

    CONSIDER: conglomerates, PSB, independents, mission


    statements, motivations, social diversity, and audience impact
    PLENARY: “basically, yeah…”
    Sum up Curran and Seaton’s Power and
    Media Industries theory on one side of a
    post-it note.
    Complete this sentence starter:
    “basically, yeah, Curran and Seaton’s
    Power and Media Industries theory is…”

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