Media Ownership: Does It Matter? [RE-EDIT]

This was written for the University subject, BCM110.

NOTE: This post was initially called "The Media", but was re-edited extensively (hence the [RE-EDIT] in the title).

The picture above is the media ownership snapshot created by the Australian Communications And Media Ownership Authority.

I show this as today, fewer and fewer individuals are now controlling more and more media networks globally. While the world is expanding in telecommunications, it seems that media ownership diversification is falling and anxiety over this is rising.

Which is a bit strange, don’t you think?

After all, there is a system in place to stop this sort of complete media absorption by one individual. 'Media control and diversity is regulated by the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the BSA) through limits placed on the control of commercial television and radio broadcasting licences and associated newspapers...' (AMCA, 2017).

In addition, in this age of the internet, anyone can report or give their two cents (ESPECIALLY their two cents).  This, however, is obviously a blessing and a curse in that any moron with an internet connection can send anything out there. But the overwhelming number of media sources is enormous and research and sorting through these sources means you will, almost always, find the truth.

But I’ll be honest: I don’t really do this as much as I should and to a further extent, I don’t keep up with the news as much as I probably should.

It’s almost surreal to hear people discussing some recent scandal or the next bit of controversy, with me somehow missing it all. I feel like I’m watching a world not through my own eyes, but through a window. I can see inside, certainly, but I can’t see or hear all the finer details. It’s all lost in a mass of sound and sight.

I’m not blaming anyone for that, obviously. This fault is all on me, but it’s hard to talk about the media and the rise of individuals holding a monopoly in it when one knows very little about it.

It doesn’t help matters that news today comes thick and fast. This is also a blessing and a curse  because it can be hard to keep up with everything that’s happening even if you are paying attention. So what chance does someone like me have?

But if I DO get news - albeit often later than it’s relevant - it’s through two main mediums: word of mouth, and the internet. Word of mouth, especially.

“Did you hear about what the President of the United States did yesterday?”


“No, I didn’t.”

“How didn’t you? It was all over the news!”


“I…I don’t…I don’t really watch, the news…”

“How you can not watch the news?!”

“I don’t know, too…busy…?”

“…”

And of course, I don’t just mean watching a news program in the traditional sense, but as a media watchdog if you will, keeping their eye(s) on a variety of outlets, cross-referencing sources.

But is everyone like that?

I don’t think so. Many, many people are more than happy to stick to one channel, to one newspaper or website. And it’s the one that appeals and even panders to their ideology. 'Individuals are blind to their own biases, despite being aware of the potential biases of others...', a 'bias blind spot' (Stone, 2011) and a potentially dangerous one at that.

So, reflecting on all this: does media ownership diversification really matter? Yes, absolutely yes.

Because if a biased, ideologically and politically driven news source dominates the platform in all facets of media, it’s gonna be a lot harder to tell the fact…from the fiction.

References:

Media control and diversity 2017, Australian Communications and Media Ownership Authority, viewed 30th March 2017, <https://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Broadcast/Media-ownership-and-control/Ownership-and-control-rules/media-control-and-diversity>

Stone, DF 2011, 'Ideological media bias', Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, vol. 78, p. 257