Media Ownership and Control in Global Context

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from media ownership, control, theories, models, and global trends discussed in the lecture.

Mass media

Means of communicating messages to large, geographically dispersed audiences; includes both traditional and new media.

Effective media control

A strategy in authoritarian regimes to convey strength and legitimacy, avoiding total domination.

Repression 2.0

New forms of direct censorship and intimidation or imprisonment of critical journalists.

Masked political control

Hiding repressive actions against the media by presenting them as compliant with democratic norms.

Technology capture

Using digital technologies to suppress internal dissent via monitoring, surveillance, and blocking.

The Great Firewall

China’s comprehensive internet censorship system.

Self-censorship

Journalists avoiding criticizing the regime due to fear of harassment or loss of state advertising.

Predator of press freedom

Label used for Russia under Putin to describe state control over media (RSF).

Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs)

Broadcasters formally independent of the state, mandated to provide impartial content; example BBC.

World Press Freedom Index

RSF ranking of countries by press freedom; Russia was 148th out of 180 in 2016.

Pluralist theories

View that political power is dispersed among many groups; emphasizes audience control and media diversity.

Marxist theories

View modern capitalist societies as inherently conflictual between owners of production and workers.

Conventional (Instrumental) Marxist Views

Direct control by a dominant capitalist class; media as instruments of ruling-class ideology; false consciousness.

Neo-Marxist views

Relative autonomy of the state and cultural hegemony; media reproduce capitalism through ideology.

Propaganda Model

Herman and Chomsky’s model that media promote elite interests without conspiracies; five filters shape content.

Five News Filters

Filters: (1) ownership/wealth/profit orientation; (2) advertising; (3) reliance on elite-funded sources; (4) flak; (5) anti-communism/war on terror/free market ideology.

False consciousness

Idea that the working class fails to recognize exploitation due to media messaging.

Cultural hegemony

Dominant class’s ideology reproduced as common sense through the media.

Gatekeepers

Powerful platforms or owners that control what information is seen or shared online.

Digital activism

Use of digital technologies to organize, protest, and advocate; can empower citizens and enable citizen journalism.