Challenging the Media Monopoly: Difference between revisions
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== | == William Domhoff's Take on the Role of Mass Media in America == | ||
William Domhoff expresses his feeling on the mass media in chapter five of his book Who Rules America? : Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. Domhoff explains how members of the power elite and corporate America own the majority of the mass media. However, Domhoff argues that this has no real effect or influence on public opinion. If this is in fact true, then the hundreds of millions of dollars a year spent by the power elite to control public opinion are simply wasted. A large number of social activists groups exist because they do feel that public opinion is in fact greatly influenced by the mass media. These different groups take diverse approaches in order to provide insight and services publically to any citizen willing to examine the role of media in American society further. Domhoff’s beliefs and the work of these social activism groups are directly correlated because the existence of these groups serves as a main reason why Domhoff’s belief pertaining to the mass media and public opinion is true (Public Opinion is not effected by the mass media even though the majority of it is owned by the power elite). Hypothetically speaking if the mass media was the only news source available for the public, the corporate world would have a larger influence on public opinion. In actuality, the media created by social activism provides other insights on what is going on in the world today. | |||
The work of the social activism groups previously shown in this wiki provide examples of the driving forces that provide reasoning behind why Domhoff’s believes the role of mass media is minimal in society. Both, The Media Education Foundation and Fair Organization reduce mass media authority by expanding the overall media spectrum via presenting more diversity in the news. The Center for Media and Democracy successfully limits the role of mass media by attacking the power elite (who attempts to control public opinion) through exposing corporate spin and governmental propaganda. The Center for Digital Democracy also shrinks corporate influence by informing citizens about digital marketing issues. | |||
Revision as of 02:41, 10 May 2012
Economics -> American Capitalism and Social Justice Spring 12
Introduction
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FAIR: Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
FAIR is a national media watch group. The organization is anti-censorship and calls for more diversity in the media. they scrutinize modern media practices and work to defend the jounalists who voices are constantly muzzled. FAIR works with both journalists and activists across the country to construcitvely critize news outlets as well as provide hard hitting journalism of their own. FAIR sees issues within manymedia businesses including, corporate ownership, advertiser influence, official agendas, telecommunication policy, the PR industry, pressure groups, the narrow range of debate, censorship and finally sensationalism. <ref name= "FAIR">"What's FAIR?" FAIR: Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=100>. </ref>
Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch
The Center for Media Democracy (CMD) is a non-profit investgative reporting group who focuses on exposing corporate spin and government propaganda. The public interest group is national, independent, non-partisan and accepts no government or for-profit corporatio funding. <ref name= "PR Watch">"About Us." Center for Media and Democracy. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.prwatch.org/cmd>. </ref>
Ways in which CMD Educates the Public:
- Publishes online magazines, PR Watch and The Spin
- Manages SourceWatch
- Launches original investigations
- Supports strategic public education campaigns
Media Education Foundation: documentary films. challenging media.
The mission of the Media Education Foundation is to inspire the American public to critically think about the social, political and cultural impact on mass media, through documentary films. The foundation is a non profit organization, which aspires to help shape the way young people think about race,class, gender, health and politic's participation in Democracy in order to strengthen the voice of independent, non-corporate media. From pop-culture misogeny and sexism to the war on oil, the MEF tries to spark discussions in the classroom about some of the most complex, yet critical issues of our time. <ref name="MEF">"About MEF | Media Education Foundation." About MEF. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.mediaed.org/wp/about-mef>.</ref>
Project Censored: Media Democracy in Action
Project Censored was founded by Carl Jensen in 1976. The organization's mission is to present students and the public with the News stories that are underreported, ignored, misrepresented, or censored by the US corporate media. They also make it their priority to educate students on the role of free press in a free society. Over the past 30 years, through their partnership with SSU, Project Censored has trained over 1,500 SSU (Sonoma State University) students in investigative research in order to protect the American public against modern censorship. The organization defines modern censorship as subtle, yet constant and sophisticated manipulation of reality in our mass media outlets. The orgnization's list of the top 25 most censored nationally ranked news stories tries to counteract corporate media censorship as best as it can.<ref name= "Project Censored"> "ABOUT | Project Censored." Project Censored. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.projectcensored.org/about/>. </ref>
Center for Digital Democracy
The Center for Digital Democracy (CCD) is a leading consumer protection and privacy organization who is at the forefront of research, public education, and advocacy for protecting consumers. They aspire to keep consumers, as well as policy makers and the press, informed on contemporary digital marketing issues.<ref name= "CDD"> "About CDD." Center for Digital Democracy. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.democraticmedia.org/about-cdd>.</ref>
Issues Researching
- Digital health issues
- Digital marketing
- Digital Privacy
- Youth digital marketing
William Domhoff's Take on the Role of Mass Media in America
William Domhoff expresses his feeling on the mass media in chapter five of his book Who Rules America? : Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. Domhoff explains how members of the power elite and corporate America own the majority of the mass media. However, Domhoff argues that this has no real effect or influence on public opinion. If this is in fact true, then the hundreds of millions of dollars a year spent by the power elite to control public opinion are simply wasted. A large number of social activists groups exist because they do feel that public opinion is in fact greatly influenced by the mass media. These different groups take diverse approaches in order to provide insight and services publically to any citizen willing to examine the role of media in American society further. Domhoff’s beliefs and the work of these social activism groups are directly correlated because the existence of these groups serves as a main reason why Domhoff’s belief pertaining to the mass media and public opinion is true (Public Opinion is not effected by the mass media even though the majority of it is owned by the power elite). Hypothetically speaking if the mass media was the only news source available for the public, the corporate world would have a larger influence on public opinion. In actuality, the media created by social activism provides other insights on what is going on in the world today.
The work of the social activism groups previously shown in this wiki provide examples of the driving forces that provide reasoning behind why Domhoff’s believes the role of mass media is minimal in society. Both, The Media Education Foundation and Fair Organization reduce mass media authority by expanding the overall media spectrum via presenting more diversity in the news. The Center for Media and Democracy successfully limits the role of mass media by attacking the power elite (who attempts to control public opinion) through exposing corporate spin and governmental propaganda. The Center for Digital Democracy also shrinks corporate influence by informing citizens about digital marketing issues.
References
<references/>
