There are various differing and paradoxical perspectives within the roles within mass media and ownership within the public. This blog will address the two principal schools of thought of the pluralist and Marxist theories concerning the mass media and ownership of media within society. (Erik & Joel, 2011).
(Chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook Inc, at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California, U.S., 2015. Photographer: David Paul Morries/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Notably, the term of “mass’ within media refers to a large number of individuals, which traditional broadcast aim information towards. The term “mass” is still relevant for important media systems. Particularly, mass media can be defined as “The methods and organisations used by specialist social groups to convey messages to large, socially mixed and widely dispersed audiences”. (Haralambos et al., 2000, p935.) The statement presents the communication process from a focal point to many other points. However, from the 2000s onwards, this theory is increasingly irrelevant within relation to media, as the “digital age”, has formed the basis of technology which has enabled interpersonal media communication to become prevalent within modern platforms, such as Facebook. As Mark Zuckerberg aimed to develop a platform that “was built to accomplish a social mission — to make the world more open and connected.” (Chaykowski, 2017). This statement exemplifies same aspects of Haralambos’ definition as Zuckerberg was able to convey, the fact that he was able to connect individuals within his platform, but also was unable to connect individuals within face to face basis, which contradicts the function of Haralambos’ definition of mass media communication within the technological age.
(CEO of Cambridge Analytica Alexander Nix speaking at the 2016 Concordia Summit. Photo by: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images)
In consequence of the fact that pluralist views within media are that “owners are responsible in the way that they manage information because consumer demand mainly shapes media content in the marketplace. They therefore only give the buying public what they want.” (Erik & Joel, 2011). This theory has become problematic within the digital age” as Zuckerberg’s creation of a social connection is positive. However, with regards to giving the “buying public what they want,” (Erik & Joel, 2011). Is not so forgivable. Since, in the perspective of Facebook being so socially free, organisations such as Cambridge Analytica (Channel 4, 2018), has taken advantage of this social freedom for their gain. As the utilisation of “psychographic” profiling of Facebook profiles by Cambridge Analytica is evidence that media organisations want to fulfil this “consumer demand.” (Revisionworld, n.d.). However, in doing so, organisations such Cambridge Analytica damage the media’s trust, such as Facebook users by using higher dominance for social gain, which links to the theory of the German theory that Marx that “the ruling ideas are ideas of the ruling class”. (Haralambos & Holborn, 2000, p937). Notably, this theory exemplifies that Cambridge Analytica’s ownership and control over the personal data of users was to gain benefits from societal groups (Erik & Joel, 2011). The intention of utilising social groups to benefit from a powerful minority within a political sphere conveys Marxist theory as true since the “working class people experience false class-consciousness,” (Revisionworld, n.d.) from Cambridge Analytica. (Channel 4, 2018).
References
Channel 4 News 2018, Cambridge Analytica Uncovered: Secret filming reveals election tricks, online video, 9 February, Channel 4, viewed 3 April 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpbeOCKZFfQ>
Erik, O, W, Joel, R (2011). ‘American Society – How It Really Works.’ 2nd ed., US State: W W Norton & Company.
Haralambos, S. and Holborn, M. (2000), Sociology, Themes and Perspectives, 5th ed., Collins Educational.
Kathleen Chaykowski. 2017. Mark Zuckerberg Gives Facebook A New Mission. June 22. Forbes. [Online]. [1 April 2018]. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathleenchaykowski/2017/06/22/mark-zuckerberg-gives-facebook-a-new-mission/
Revisionworld. n.d. Ownership and control of the media. [Online]. [March 30 2018 ]. Available from: https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/sociology/mass-media-0/ownership-and-control-media