This post is due by Tuesday, April 1 @ midnight for full credit.
Email late posts to rob.williamsATmadriver.com for partial credit.
Read our MEDIA@CULTURE book, assigned chapter(s) above AND Michael Hastings' ROLLING TONE interview with Julian Assange.
In a SINGLE blog post below for ALL chapters in the section, provide for EACH chapter:
1. A single sentence, IYOW, that captures the THESIS (main argument) for each chapter.
In a SINGLE blog post below for ALL chapters in the section, provide for EACH chapter:
1. A single sentence, IYOW, that captures the THESIS (main argument) for each chapter.
2. THREE specific pieces of supporting documentation - ideas, concepts, stats, data - to bolster your thesis for each chapter. (Use 2 - 3 sentences for each.)
3. A single PERSONAL story of 3-4 sentences that connects the chapter directly with your own personal media experiences.
4. Finally, ONE specific observation about Julian Assange from the ROLLING STONE interview, and ONE specific question you'd ask Julian Assange.
4. Finally, ONE specific observation about Julian Assange from the ROLLING STONE interview, and ONE specific question you'd ask Julian Assange.
4. A SINGLE specific question you have after reading and blogging on ALL chapters of assignment.
Game on,
Dr. W
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. The economics of the media industry prompt industries to make every effort to stay on top by buying up the competition, getting involved with new forms of media, and adapting a storytelling approach.
2. Monopolies occur when a single firm dominates production and distribution in an industry. This is the goal of many companies, but actually reaching it is restricted by government legislation. But companies are able to get around the rules by buying up majority of the competition creating an oligopoly instead. This is situation is represented by companies such as Disney, AT&T, and Time Warner.
Companies will also try to get the economic upper hand by diversifying their assets. This is also another attempt to avoid becoming a monopoly, but gain major control. For example, Disney not only runs animation and movie studios, but it also operates theme parks around the world, has radio stations, owns ABC Family, and maintains several sporting channels.
Companies will often use storytelling techniques to convince consumers that they are not so different. This tactic is often used by politicians as well to show voters that they are involved with society in regular ways, such as Barack Obama playing basketball in a school gym or Mitt Romney eating a sandwich at Subway. Ideas, beliefs, and values can be transferred among people by storytelling and that is what TV, magazines, and movies aim to do in order to stay relevant and powerful.
3. I actually was just talking about Disney’s role in the economy in my microeconomics class. This chapter explains how Disney is merging with all other major animation companies in an effort to continue to be one of the most profitable competitors in the industry. However, what I have learned suggests that this won’t last, and Disney knows it. They keep buying up the competition because the more competition the lower profits they will make off movies because there are more players in the industry. But as long as there are profits to be made, companies will continue to emerge into the market keeping Disney from gaining complete control.
4. Will the growth of social media and overall internet use help or hurt those companies trying to gain control over entire industries?
5. Observation: Julian Assange seems to avoid taking responsibility for most of his actions. Most questions about his behavior he brushed off as media hype, such as the rape charges or spy charges, which may be true but his actions have led to this hype. It seems that the information that he released, such as the video from Iraq, is important for citizens to know about, but there may be better ways to release the information without possible damage to the security of the U.S.
Question: Even with all of the charges being brought up against you and wiki leaks, are you planning to continue to purse and release what is considered to be classified government information?
1) Chapter 13 explains the economic aspect of media as well as the growth of large corporations beginning to control the media through the power of economics.
ReplyDelete2) One of the first examples is the OWN TV network that is owned by Oprah Winfrey. She controls this entire television vision station by herself due to her wealth and ability to buy and own a network. She controls this aspect of the television medium by herself due to her money. The chapter discusses the deregulation of the media. The deregulation allows money to control what is being played on television. Most companies and interest groups will put their money together to control the media in order to form public opinion in their favor. Media partnerships are also discussed and how they from public opinion. In most cases, they form public opinion on current events or politics, such as the fox network or MSNBC.
3) The economy’s relationship with the media seems to have affected me through the public relations that they have created. Without connecting the public relations aspect to the economic piece of it, the idea of economics in media does not have too much of an impact on my life. However, the economics of media does have a daily impact on the world.
4) Will economics be the key to controlling the media in the future if deregulation or lack of regulation begins to stay on this path?
5) I find it interesting that Julian seems to be so calm when he is asked if he is fucked. Was your original intention of Wikileaks to expose what the public does not know, or attempt to create reform and changes within the world?
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. The economic media is constantly buying out other companies and focusing on staying the most appealing choice for consumers in order to keep control over what we buy and from who.
2.- Although companies are not technically allowed to use the ideas of monopolies, which is one owner controlling entire products and other companies, they go around this by doing oligopolies, which keeps the dominant control between a few large firms. This way they go around getting in trouble with the government.
-Companies also focus on moving their product manufacturing to smaller countries that have less health and labor regulations. This way they are able to produce more of the product without spending large amounts of money on paying the workers and manufacturing the product. This helps with the complex economic environment.
-The large companies also try to control how their consumer views them so that their procedures and ways of doing things do not seem as bad as they may be. They want the consumer to think that their actions are for the common-sense and natural way even though they are politically and economically in control of so many things.
3. I did not realize how much control large companies have over what I buy and what I see. They have bought out so many small companies that they ultimately have control over everything that I buy, which kind of scares me in a way. I feel like I no longer even have choices of what I buy anymore, because they are all coming from the same few companies in charge. It explains why so many smaller companies are having trouble staying successful and I wish we were able to bring back local businesses easily.
4. Will there one day be a time when there are no more locally owned businesses?
5. Julian Assange is way to casual about everything that has taken place and the future.It freaks me out that someone who has caused this much trouble and has been faced with a house arrest is no remorseful about anything that he has done. It really makes me question the actions of some people and the inability to feel any guilt or regret.
The Media Economic section of the Global Marketplace is always changing to fit our new media demands.
ReplyDelete2) "When evaluating the media, economists also look at other elements of the commercial process, including program or product costs, price setting, marketing strategies, and regulatory practices. For instance, marketers and media economists determine how high a local newspaper can raise its weekly price before enough disgruntled readers drop their subscriptions and offset the profits made from the price increase." (pg 454)
"So if companies or politicians convinced consumers and voters that the interests of the powerful were common sense and therefore normal or natural, they also created an atmosphere and context in which there was less chance for challenge and criticism." (pg 460)
"All of the leading digital companies of today were once small startups that emerged at important junctures of the digital age. The earliest, Microsoft and Apple, were established in the mid-1970s, with the rise of the personal computer. Amazon begin in 1995 with the popularization of the Web and the beginnings of e-commerce." (pg 469)
3) I personally connect with this chapter through different types of e-commerce. I am an avid browser and buy from amazon.com and without it I know I would be lost. My input into this small fraction of the media economic part of the global marketplace makes a difference in how other businesses function and sell their goods.
4) I observed that Julian Assange is just like any other person. I expected him to either be stuck-up or like some comic book villain, but honestly he just seems like any other guy.
If I could ask him one question I would ask which part of his Wikileaks career he regretted most.
5) Will we ever see a larger change in the global marketplace than we have with media economics?
1. Chapter 13 explains how economics has played a huge role in the market play that has lead to billion dollar industries in the media environments.
ReplyDelete2. “In the broadcast industry, the telecommunications Act of 1996 (under president Clinton) lifted most restrictions on how many radio and TV stations one corporations could own.”(P.455). This was one of the main reasons why we hear so much of the same stuff on TV and also lead to the growth and huge networks. “At top fifty low-wage employers, including Target, Macdonald’s, Panera, Macy’s, and Abercrombie & Fitch, the highest paid executives earned an average of 9.4 million a year.”(P.459) Although these are considered to be low wage jobs the high executives make a lot of money compared to the employees that they have which leads to companies not having the best interest for them. “Disney also came to epitomize the synergistic possibilities of media consolidation. It can produce an animated feature for both theatrical release and DVD distribution.” This was something that took Disney to the next level they were looking for through their struggles in the early 1980’s they can turn all their classics into something that people have the ability to have at their homes whenever they want.
3. I have not been directly affected by the different aspects that were addressed throughout chapter 13. Although I did grow up on movies that they spoke about that helped jump-start Disney into what they have become today.
4. One observation that I saw in the interview was that he went to a lot of different high schools and never really had a strong group of friends because he was always changing. One thing I would ask is if you were to be remembered in history in anyway you wanted to how would you be remembered?
5. Will the government ever intervene again to make it so all of these major companies are just the ones controlling everything?
Chapter 13:
ReplyDelete1. The economic media is evolved constantly in buying out other companies, as well as evolving and growing in order to keep future buyers interested; helping large companies grow and become more powerful in the economy.
2. Today you see single firms dominating product and distribution in a variety of different industries, thus evolving and creating the modern term of “monopolies.” Today’s companies have this as an overall goal when they start out. This process and this goal can be inhibited by government legislation. Buying up other companies that are their competition is a loophole in all of this governmental process.
Diversifyication of assets allows companies to gain the upper hand. The more divers you are as a company and a business, the better you will do in the long run. Take Disney as an example. Not only does Disney do movies but they have theme parks, shows on TV, and radio stations. They are a great example of a divers company.
Larger companies attempt to control what their views think and view and how and what they consume. These large companies want the consumers to think that the actions they are performing are common-sense and of freewill and natural. This is just one of the ways that large companies manipulate you.
3. I guess I didn’t really realize that these big companies controlled what I viewed so much let alone what I buy. So many small companies are controlled by some form of a larger company. After reading this chapter, I feel as though I have no control over what I am buying, scary feeling.
4. Where will economic media evolve next with all the current technology?
5. Julian Assange seems very interesting based on the interview. He seems awful causal about everything that he has done and everything that has taken place as a result. The scariest part of what I read is the lack of punishment he received for such a crime. It makes me question the government.
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ReplyDeleteChapter 13
ReplyDelete1. The economics of the media industry today prompt companies to make every effort to stay on top by buying up the competition and adapting a storytelling approach.
2. Monopolies form when a single firm dominates production and distribution in any given industry. This is the goal of many companies, but actually reaching it is near impossible with government legislation regarding this. However, companies are able to find a loophole in the system by buying up majority of the competition creating an oligopoly instead. Companies will also try to get the economic upper hand by diversifying their assets. This is also another attempt to avoid becoming a monopoly, but gain major control. For example, Disney not only runs animation and movie studios, but it also operates theme parks around the world, has radio stations, owns ABC Family, and maintains several sports channels. Companies will often use storytelling techniques to convince consumers that they aren’t so different. This tactic is often used by politicians as well to show voters that they are involved with society in regular ways. Ideas, beliefs, and values can be transferred among people by storytelling and that is what TV, magazines, and movies aim to do in order to stay relevant and powerful.
3. I didn’t have any clue whatsoever of how much control large companies have over what I buy and see. They have bought out so many small companies that they ultimately have control over everything that I buy, which kind of scares me. It explains why so many smaller companies are having trouble staying successful nowadays.
4. Will the growth of social media help or hurt these companies whom are trying to monopolize the industry?
5. Observation: Julian Assange seems to avoid taking responsibility for his actions and he is WAY to casual and cavalier about this, which freaks me out. Also, he doesn’t show any sign of remorse, which is interesting.
Question: Is there any part of you that regrets what you did?
Chapter 13
ReplyDeleteThe business of media structured to be highly efficient in keeping power among few corporations, every effort is made to buy out competitors to insure that their success is not threatened.
“While the federal government has encouraged owner diversity since the 1970s by prohibiting newspapers from operating a broadcast or cable company in the same city, many individual local media monopolies have been purchased by national and international firms.” 452
“Today, the same anticompetitive mind-set exists that once allowed a few utility and railroad companies to control their industries in the days before antitrust laws. Most media companies have skirted monopoly charges by purchasing diverse types of mass media rather than trying to control just one medium.” 458
“American antitrust laws have been easily subverted since the 1980s as companies expanded by diversifying holdings, merging product lines with other big media firms, and forming local monopolies, especially in newspapers or cable. The resulting consolidation of media owners has limited the number of independent voices in the market and reduced the number of owners who might be able to innovate and challenge established economic powers.” 470
I hadn’t previously thought about how seamlessly big media companies have integrated themselves. It’s unsettling to think that only a few companies produce the content that we view every day. It definitely feels manipulative to me.
Julian Assange seemed very strange to me. He was able to come off very casual and yet, at the same time, proclaim some very strong beliefs against organized governments. It was odd how blasé he was regarding much of what he has done while still claiming that it was his aim to stir up the Arab Spring. I would be interested in what Assange is most proud of in regards to providing information to the public. As well, what information, that he has released, has made the greatest impact on the global society?
Will the increasingly prevalent ways to advertise on the internet help or harm small businesses/media companies?
1. chapter 13 is about the media takeover and the fight for companies to stay on top of their game with concerns to buying up the competition.
ReplyDelete2. There are three common structures that make up the media industry; monopoly, oligopoly and limited competition. These three structures all have different parts that occur in different media firms. What I find very interesting is the section about the media powerhouses that consolidated their partnerships and mergers. In 1995 Disney acquired ABC for $19 billion, Time Warner bought Turner Broadcasting for $7.5 billion, in 2001 AOL acquired Time Warner for $106 billion which was the largest media merger in history at the time. CEO’s at the top media companies are paid extremely well as the chart on page 460 where it shows that the Walt Disney Company CEO equals 1,115 employees.
3. I never really realized how much these individual companies own, but I personally haven’t been affected by it. Of course I grew up watching Disney and seeing their changes throughout the years becoming so successful with every movie or show they create is cool. My family has used Comcast for years and I had no idea in 2011 that they were the most dominant media corporation.
4. Will we see a large global marketplace expansion with the changes in media corporations?
5. One thing that I observed from the interview is that at such a young age of 16 Julian Assange was able to hack the Pentagon, people should have realized what he would be capable of in the future. I also noticed that he went to a lot of different high schools so he was never able to make a strong friend group and people to connect to.
1. A single sentence, IYOW, that captures the THESIS (main argument) for each chapter.
ReplyDelete- This chapter details the history and antitrust legislation that has been passed in certain industries, paying particular attention to the consolidation of corporations and the effects of that on consumers.
2. THREE specific pieces of supporting documentation - ideas, concepts, stats, data - to bolster your thesis for each chapter. (Use 2 - 3 sentences for each.)
a. “…when corporate executives trim news budgets or fire neqs personnel, or use one reporter to do multiple versions of a story for TV, radio, newspaper, and the Internet, such decisions ultimately reduce the total number of different news stories that cover a crucial topic and may jeopardize the role of journalists as watchdogs of society” (454).
b. “This flexible media system, of course, heavily favors large companies with greater access to capital over small businesses that cannot easily absorb the losses incurred from failed products” (458).
c. “…American antitrust laws have been easily subverted since the 1980s as companies expanded by diversifying holdings, merging product lines with other big media firms, and forming local monopolies, especially in newspapers and cable. The resulting consolidation of media owneers has limited the number of independent voices in the market and reduced the number of owners who might be able to innovate and challenge established economic powers” (470).
d. “We live in a society in which often-superficial or surface consumer concerns, stock market quotes, and profit aspirations, rather than broader social issues, increasingly dominate the media agenda” (475).
3. A single PERSONAL story of 3-4 sentences that connects the chapter directly with your own personal media experiences.
- Today, in a discussion with one of the personal counselors here at St. Mike’s, I expressed some of the difficulties I have had with the interpretation of the world provided for me by social media and other news outlets to which I have access. Interestingly enough, this chapter touches upon the lack of diversity in that world, and helps to explain why it is, perhaps, that I become so frustrated with the world when I go online. It could be that the information I have access to is controlled by the same media conglomerates, and many of my concerns and problems arise as a result of the lack of diversity in the media industry.
4. Finally, ONE specific observation about Julian Assange from the ROLLING STONE interview, and ONE specific question you'd ask Julian Assange.
“Legitimate authority is important. All human systems require authority, but authority must be granted as a result of the informed consent of the governed.”
- One of the most interesting things I found about this article is that Julian Assange does not come across as a radical anti-government individual, but is instead a proponent of American democracy in its most basic form. He goes back to the ideas of the founders of this country, who he believes would be advocates of governmental transparency in order to empower those who might otherwise be powerless.
I would ask Julian Assange what he believe average, every day people should do in order to create a society of transparent government and empowerment of the masses.
4. A SINGLE specific question you have after reading and blogging on ALL chapters of assignment.
- How is it possible for consumers to take back control of the information being given to them by the media conglomerates who have such power currently?
Chapter 13:
ReplyDelete1.) Chapter 13 examines the growth and development of the economics of media and its effects on the industry.
2.) The chapter begins by defining monopolies and oligopolies. Since companies are not allowed to completely monopolize certain industries, a handful of large corporations will often emerge as the leaders, which is referred to as an oligopoly. Oligopolies allow for companies to skate around the restrictions and limitations put forth by the government to halt monopolies. On page 453 the book states that both the film and publishing industry are examples of oligopolies, as they are controlled by five or six large corporations. Another instance of monopoly and deregulation comes from page 455 where on the book mentions the effects of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which lifted most regulations on how many radio and TV stations one corporation could own. The main issue with deregulation and monopoly is that it undermines freedom of broadcasting and free speech. If the majority of news and information sources are controlled by enormous, world wide corporations, the element of complete freedom of speech is lost.
3.) The aspect of this chapter I find most interesting is the monopoly and ownership piece. If the majority of TV and Radio is owned by the world's largest corporations, how can there be free speech? It seems as if the current system has been constructed or has taken on a role over time as a killer of free speech.
4.) I hate the thought of incarcerating anyone who supplies the public with information regarding their governments doing. Real freedom is lack of adherence to society and government, so why should we even consider imprisoning those who practice the highest form a patriotism- dissent?
I would love to meet Julian and ask him why he wanted to risk his life to form and evolve wiki leaks. I'd also like to ask what freedom on information means to him and where he sees the world moving.
5.) Can certain media like the internet or independent papers turn around the oligopoly on news media like radio and television and provide the American people with unbiased, freely spoken information?
1. The way a media company handles their finances and relationships is pivotal to their success in this global marketplace.
ReplyDelete2. Disney is a perfect example of how a company can survive by expanding to new media platforms and making relationships. To achieve its place as one of the world's largest media conglomerates Disney spread to television, radio, Broadway, and created theme parks as well as partnering with Pixar to create computer-animated blockbusters.
Hegemony is the acceptance of dominant values by those who are subordinate to those who hold more power than themselves. Leaders, both in the political world and in the business world use this technique, specifically by portraying virtues Americans hold dear in order to gain or maintain support.
While the world's most dominant media companies have recently created successful devices and distribution processes, it is the content that is shared by these things that is enduring. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft all rely on media narratives, like sounds, words, and pictures, to keep their users interested in their company.
3. I agree with the statement that it is content and narratives that are enduring, not the device on which it is viewed or the way the content is distributed. I have found myself less interested in Facebook recently because a lot of other people have stopped using it. Now, I don't want to go on the social networking site because I don't care about the weird people that still post things. Furthermore, all my friends use Instagram and I am not bored of it yet so I use that much more. I would rather look at my friend's cute picture of a puppy or a beautiful sunset on Instagram than read what time a person is working that day or look at my acquaintance's achievements on Farmville on Facebook.
4. Juilian Assange is very intelligent and doesn't answer any questions that he doesn't want to. He has a way of answering tricky questions without giving away anything and in some cases without really answering the question.
Do you think that a majority of people support and oppose the war in Iraq out of ignorance?
5. If all the information we receive from media sources is censored by the government, is there any way for us to get the whole truth?
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. This chapter focuses on today’s media economy, and the impact of media on the marketplace.
2. In many media industries, three structures characterize the economics of the media business. The first common structure is called a monopoly. A monopoly occurs when one firm takes over the production and distribution in an industry. Monopolies can happen both on national and local levels. Another common structure is an oligopoly. An oligopoly is when only a few different firms are controlling and dominating the industry. Limited competition is the last common structure, which is otherwise known as monopolistic competition. This structure characterizes a media market when it has many producers, distributors, and sellers but only offers a few products within each category. The media industry made a transition to an information economy. This transition started back in the 1950s when machines switched gears from driving the Industrial Age to the Information Age. A huge part of this transition is mass media industries marketing their products on a global level. A tactic that many companies use in order to stay powerful is storytelling. They use this as a way to convey important values and messages. TH internet has brought many different forms of media together. They used to stand all as very separate forms of media, but the Internet and convergence has brought all of these forms of media together, making it easier for the consumer to experience each one in the same place.
3. It is weird to think about the fact that so many smaller companies are owned by larger ones. It misleads the unaware consumer to think they are buying from one place, when really it is controlled by something else. I feel like this is something I am going to try to be more aware of in the future.
4. Will this structure have to change in the future if consumers begin to feel manipulated and misled?
5. An observation that I have from this article is that Assange seems a little too casual in his responses to the interview. However, I feel as though this casualness also makes him come across as very confident because he does not seem too worried about it. He is trying to manipulate the rules of journalism to make is seem like he has done nothing wrong. A question I would have for him is: do you plan to continue with WikiLeaks and if so, do you have any pans for its future?
The economic conditions of the mass media cause industries to adapt to the digital landscape in order to stay powerful.
ReplyDeleteThree structures distinguish media businesses. A monopoly is when one single entity controls all production and distribution aspects of an industry. “For example, at the national level, AT&T ran a rare government approached and regulated monopoly, the telephone business, for more than a hundred years until its breakup in the mid-1980’s. (452) The oligopoly structure in when a few entities control the entire industry, the feature film business is an example of this. “ The production and distribution of the world’s music is basically controlled by just four international corporations- Warner Music, Sony, Universal, and EMI.” (453) Limited competition is a market with many producers but a small amount of products. “For instance, hundreds of independently owned radio stations operate in the United States, most of these commercial stations, however, feature a limited number of formats- such as country, classic rock, or contemporary hits.” (453) With mergers of big media corporations, United States citizens are calling for an increase in transparency within the media economy and market.
More often I’m becoming a patron of smaller media sites, such as freepress.org and democracynow. By not supporting big media I know I’m getting all aspects of the product, and hopefully big media could experience more reform.
Will there ever be a Golden Age of local businesses?
Although Julian Assange believes in himself and his campaign, I see a very lonely man who has lost almost everything doing something he believes in. His family, home, and basic rights are all taken away. He portray an air of confidence but deep down there must be some sadness.
Question: How much knowledge is too much knowledge?
Chapter 13:
ReplyDelete1. Chapter 13 discussed the economic situation of the media industry and the different lengths companies are going to stay on top.
2. The media industry is made up of three structures: monopoly, oligopoly, and limited competition. A monopoly is when a single firm dominates the production and distribution in an industry. This can happen either nationally or locally. An oligopoly occurs when a small amount of firms have control over the industry. Limited competition takes place when there are many producers or sellers, but they are only working with a few products in the industry.
3. As a business major, I have learned a lot about the different market structures and feel as though I know about monopolies. It was interesting for me to learn about these marketing structures from the point of view of the media and not something a box store.
4. As media corporations continue to increase and develop, what changes will happen to the global marketplace?
5. The largest take-away I got from the interview with Julian Assange was how natural he act about the whole situation. He almost seems to be avoiding taking any responsibility for his actions, which leads me to question whether or not he knows the extent of the repercussions.
1. Chapter 13 covers the dynamics of media economics and the efforts put forth by the media market to remain a competitive and top notch force by adapting a story telling approach and buying out competitors.
ReplyDelete2. “In the end, compelling narratives are what attract people to media—whether in the form of books or blogs, magazines, or movies, TV shows or talk radio. People make sense of their experiences and articulate their values through narratives. And so “the story” of media economics today is—as it has always been—the telling and selling of stories.” pg.450
“In 1995, Disney acquired ABC for $19 billion. To ensure its rank as the world's largest media conglomerate, Time Warner countered and bought Turner Broadcasting in 1995 for $7.5 billion.” pg.457
“In 1953, Disney started Buena Vista, a distribution company. This was the first step in making the studio into a major player. The company also began exploiting the power of its early cartoon features.” pg.463
3. I never realized just how much I was affected by a certain company's control on how many of their products I actually consume. For example, as I'm typing this, I am using a Mac computer (Apple product), with my iPhone right next to me (Apple product), while listening to my iPod (apple product) which I need to use my iTunes account to get music (also an Apple product).
4. One specific observation I made about Assange is that he seems to be very nonchalant and passive about comments pertaining to his relations with the women who claimed he had raped them. A question I have for him is how he became a hacker at sixteen years old?
5. What will happen to locally owned businesses once big companies continue to take over the economy of the media?
Chapter thirteen discusses the economic aspects of the media world. The chapter opens up by explaining the structure of the industry as composing of three different elements. First, monopoly, which is when a single company dominates an entire industry, like in the case of AT&T which was a monopoly until the mid-1980’s. The second being an oligopoly, which means just a few entities serve a given industry, for example the book publishing industry, or the feature film industry are considered oligopolies. And thirdly, limited competition, which entails an industry with many, competing companies that only sell a limited amount of different products, commercial broadcast radio is a prime example of limited competition. The chapter proceeds to talk about the different ways in which media companies collect revenue. They do this in two ways, direct payment, which occurs when media products like a CD are bought directly by a consumer. The other form is indirect payment; this is when advertisers support media products. Currently consumers discover media products with ease through the use of the Internet. However the economic aspect of media struggled with the digital transition, not knowing how to compete with the vast amount of content available for free online. The chapter concludes with the discussion of cultural imperialism through media. The term “cultural imperialism” refers to the way in which American media is actively shaping foreign cultures. American media companies rely on foreign markets financially however it is believed that the way in which we dump our culture onto the laps of foreign communities stifles there abilities to create original local products.
ReplyDeleteI found the concept of “Cultural Imperialism” to be the most interesting aspect of this chapter. When I think about conversations I have had with friends from outside the states regarding media, it is clear to me that they are much more well versed with American media than I am with theirs. I wonder what kind of filter is out there that allows for American media to be shared internationally while other nations movies, music, etc. are much more difficult to discover?
After reading the Rolling Stone interview of Julian Assange, I feel manipulated. Assange absolutely presents himself intelligently and articulately, however something about the article feels manipulated (as I know it is). I would ask Assange if there is any truth to the alligations of his sexual misconduct.
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1.) The focus of this chapter is on the organization and regulation of media economics.
2.) The first section focuses on the basic structure and expectations of how media companies operate, like how they collect revenue. The second section focuses on how the modern media came to be, such as the fall of regulation and the rise of mergers and partnerships, tendencies away from unions and towards an increasing wage gap, and a move towards storytelling.
The third section is about specialization, convergence and globalization, as usual, going into minor details, and making an offhand mention of how the internet favors small start-up companies over other companies. The chapter ends with a look at controversies like the fallacy of associating capitalism with democracy, cultural imperialism, and how media economics interact with democracy.
3.) I don't really have any personal stories about this specific topic. I mean, I interact with media and such on a daily basis like everybody else, but I don't really interact with the media industry. I was already aware of the nature of media economics with everything being bought up and such, and it annoys me.
4.) Julian Assange seemed perfectly normal. I saw nothing abnormal about his calmness under pressure, his dedication to his cause, his odd manner of speaking, or his apparent possible flaws concerning his ego and abrasive professionalism or lack thereof. What are the laws in Sweden which Julian Assange has allegedly broken and what was the story given by those two women?
5.) How does the partnership and constant cooperation of corporations not count as a “politically correct” form of monopoly?
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. Chapter thirteen discusses media economics and the growth of the global market.
2. “In most media industries, three common structures characterize the economics of the business: monopoly, oligopoly, and limited competition. A monopoly occurs when a single firm dominates production and distribution in a particular industry, either nationally or locally. In an oligopoly, just a few firms dominate an industry. Limited competition characterizes a media market with many producers and sellers but only a few product within a particular category” (453).
“In today’s complex and often turbulent economic environment, global firms have sought greater profits by moving labor to less economically developed countries that need jobs but have poor health and safety regulations for workers. The continuous outsourcing of many U.S. jobs and the breakdown of global economic borders accompanied this transformation” (462).
“The digital turn marks a shift in the media environment from the legacy media powerhouse like Time Warner and Disney to the new digital media conglomerates. Five companies reign larger than the others in digital media: Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft” (468-469).
3. It doesn’t really cross my mind how large companies like Google control a lot of what I see online. When I search for something online or buy something online, a lot of adds for that product pop up on my Facebook newsfeed, but it doesn’t always phase me how connected it all is.
4. Assange seems to be an interesting guy. From what I read he seems to be both liked and hated. I think it is extremely interesting that he got into the whole network of wikileaks and made a career out of releasing top secret information. If Assange were to be released, would he continue with wikileaks or pursue another path?
5. Will the large media companies continue to control the global market?
ReplyDelete1. Chapter 13 shows the economic side of media and how businesses have to grow and shift in order to stay current.
2. There are three structures in the economy of business; monopoly, where a single firm dominates the industry, oligopoly, where a few firms dominate the industry, and limited competition, where there is a media market with many products but only a few products within a particular category. These media markets gain money through direct payment, where money come directly from the consumer, and indirect payment, where money comes from advertisers. The increasing presence of the internet in our society has changed the market, making it almost impossible for companies not to be involved on the internet. This switch is difficult however, as companies struggled to define who owned what online. Companies that have dominated this media market are Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. Because people's interests move so quickly in our age, it is hard for these companies to stay relevant. The convergence of the media age and the market had caused many problems and controversies, like unfair monopolies.
3. Personal story: I really know very little about media companies or the economic side of media. It does always surprise me and scare me when I see the monopolies that are in place because it usually means the consumer has less control over the price and quality of the product when their is little competition.
4. Julian Assange was very casual and laid back when asked about his actions. He seems acted like a regular person, but he is actually someone with a huge amount of power and who caused such a controversy.
How does he think his actions had a ripple affect or will in the future?
5. Is there any way to break up these monopolies or are they bound to happen in any business world?
ReplyDelete1) Chapter 13 is about the economics of the media industry in a global marketplace and the various ways growth and evolution of companies takes shape.
2) The media industries structure is stratified and competition of services can range from a few highly consolidated firms to a plethora of competition among a number of firms. Economic decisions can largely vary depending on the growth and expansion of new technologies. Deregulation fueled market mergers and consolidation that created powerful firms in the media industry. A flexible market system and the decline of worker labor unions coincided with a massive downsizing movement. Powerful media firms since have largely dictated the cultural narrative. Media economics has evolved with new technological convergence and specialization, the digital transition in particular has been pivotal.
3) I am really amazed at how consolidated certain media forms are. Looking at particular ownership over a vast array of medium outlets it is easy to consider how our consciousness can be so commonly shaped.
4) It does not seem as if he feels the weight of nations upon his shoulders. Surely whatever he plans to do in the future is severely limited. Has he really sealed his fate? Do people really want free information or would it be better if we were directed on a need to know basis?
5) Would patterns of media consumption ever bring about the end of the media industry as perhaps cheaper technological workarounds make it harder to monetize information?
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1.) The goal of any media company is to stay on top of the market. This chapter explains the ways to do this which include buying out competition, creating a unique style, and be involved in all new media forms.
2.) Major companies such as Sony own different types of medium like record companies, movie studios, and more. After establishing a name for themselves, they are able to expand their business in other fields through buying out competition and smaller businesses.
A large issue in the media business is that a company that grows too large can be considered a monopoly. If a company such as AT&T owns too much of one market, they are subject to a trial. I think that the regulation of size is important to promote competition to ensure capitalism is beneficial to many and not just a sole owner.
The chart on CEO compensation is surprising. For example large figures such as 29 million dollars are paid to one CEO while the average worker makes only 26 thousand a year. The gap of pay is extreme and could be lowered however I feel a solution could be to make the ability to rise in a company easier and wages for starting raised.
3.) The easiest place to see the multiple ownerships of media companies is on T.V. Companies such as Fox own multiple news stations, miscellaneous channels, and sports. I noticed recently that Speed Channel was turned into Fox Sports 1 & 2.
4.) How can we as the common people promote competition in the media so that these large companies do not control everything?
(Switch 4 with 5)
Delete5.) Assage's interview proves his intelligence and shows that he has a deep understanding of what he is doing with his knowledge. The interesting part is how he feels morally about releasing some of this information that could bring harm.
In what ways would you want the daily and nation wide news to change according to your ethics and ideas?
Good blogging on Assange and GLOBAL media, colleagues.
ReplyDeleteRev - game on!
Dr. Rob
Chapter 13:
ReplyDelete1. This chapter focuses on the examination of media economics, the conversion to an information economy, and the globalization of facts across the globe with excessive advancements in electronic technology along with potential obstacles that transpire.
2. Media’s high standing relationship with economy poses connections between the government (politics) and citizens in society in terms of regulations in ownership of a vast amount of product resources. Large roles that are present in global marketing are monopolies which are one owner of a company dominating all competition, while an oligopoly refers to a multiple corporations rule an industry. Mass media organizations make money either through direct payments with the sales of good to consumers or basing on indirect payments where advertisers look to grab the undivided attention, interest of buyers.
Today as well as the last couple of decades, there has been information (technology)-driven economy concentrated on music, movies, television shows, and computer software across the planet. Economic and business practices widely known in today’s society include flexible markets that rely on easy low-paying labor to teenagers commonly near minimum wage, downsizing competition with less spending but more saving, and highly salary discrepancies between middle standing employees and business chairs (CEO’s).
In the modern day, corporations are pursuing increased profits in the strenuous economic environment, so in response to their set objectives they have been continuously looking to relocate working jobs to less economically developed nations that way they can pay less in salaries, and not be held responsible to strict health and safety laws enforced by the U.S. government. Media channels owned by a single corporation create products to fill the demand of promoting various aspects of media such as movie companies attempting to make a related television program, broadcast network channels, gift shop type merchandise, music tracks as well as full out albums, and books. Good examples of companies that fit this bill happen to be Universal Studios, Disney, and Nickelodeon just to name a few with viewers having the choice whether to tune in to the electronic media. New digital media giants have been fostered in response to convergence of media technology such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and YouTube with both free as well as paid content existing.
3. In terms of the economics of business in relation to media, I understand the directions as well as opportunities corporations look to capitalize on to increase the public’s view in positive ways. This can be done through the variety of ways including advertising, valued interest of pleasing of the consumer with the pricing as well as reaping solid benefits of profits complete with the availability of high quality merchandise. In terms of specialization in the global marketplace of media, I watch a lot of sports ESPN which is owned by Disney with the large amounts of media based branding in television, other forms of electronic technology, books, and merchandise in stores.
4. I find it interesting how Julian Assange does not take accountability for his actions of giving out government based information on international events that is supposed to remain confidential. However, I also see how he thinks the American people should have the opportunity of the events transpiring across the globe which the nation is involved in as well as our own safety from what can be tracked online. Overall, it is a very line when dealing with federal government information and potentially publicizing it to the world. What do his future plans entail in information field? Does he wish he could take back some of the decisions he has made?
5. What does the future hold for global marketing in terms of widely known multinational corporations recognized for a multitude of media channels along with minimal regulation leading to more advertising techniques?
1. This chapter is all based around the economics of media and how its economic growth has helped large corporations control over the media.
ReplyDelete2.
a. Economic growth has made several people and corporations very successful. The wealth people have made through the media has led to them being able to control media. This can be seen through Oprah and her creation of her own TV network OWN.
b. Corporations have used media to control their profit by using control over labor and price setting.
c. Corporations’ have been able to grow from small business to large corporations by gaining control of a new market. This can be seen through the tactics used by Apple and Microsoft in the Person computer age. It can also be seen with new advance in technology such as Amazon and its strong foothold of the e-commerce market.
3. As a consumer in today’s media age the media now affects almost all my purchases. I see this by the use of advertisements all around me. There are constantly reminders around me pushing me towards certain products. One company I have seen use their media presence to sell their product is Apple. They use constant TV and Internet ads to promote the new products they are continuously putting out on the market.
4. How will new technology advances affect the economics of media in the future?
5. One observation from Julian’s interview is that his answers were extremely thought provoking while still having a very intimidating response to them. One question I would want to ask him is would he do it all again? If so would he do it the same or would he change how he handled Wiki leaks?
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1) Chapter 13 discusses the economic situation of the media industries and it explains how companies have to adapt to the changes and advancements in media in order to stay on top.
2) There are many instances where monopolies occur within a particular industry. “For example, at the national level, AT&T ran a rare government-approved-and-regulated monopoly – the telephone business – for more than a hundred years until its breakup in the mid-1980’s,” (452). However, monopolies are more common on the local level. They most often occur in any city that has one newspaper or cable company.
Companies are always competing to stay in the lead and they have to fight to avoid monopolies. “In 1995, Disney acquired ABC for $19 billion.” Disney didn’t want ABC to beat them in this theoretical competition, so to solve the problem they simply bough them out, getting one-step closer to a monopoly.
Before the Internet came to be, each industry in the media field stayed separate and they weren’t easily mixed up with each other. For example, the newspaper business stood apart from the book publishing business, which was also different from the radio. When the Internet came to be, every media company out there (books, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, etc.) had to make Websites that offered online versions on whatever their media forms were in order to keep their customers happy and interested in their business.
3) Until reading this chapter, I was completely unaware of how competitive every company is when it comes to trying to reach a monopoly. I didn’t realize it was that big of a deal if there were more than one company for a certain type of media form.
4) Julian seems to avoid taking responsibility for anything he has done. He seems nonchalant about his whole situation. Other than that he seems like an ordinary guy. I would ask him if he had any regrets about starting Wikileaks.
5) What types of technology that has yet to be discovered will affect the economy of the media industry more than the Internet did?
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. This chapter discusses media economics on a global scale and the changes that have occured in the past century.
2. With the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Clayton Antitrust Act the federal government was able to break up monopolies of both the American Tobacco Company and Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company. This occurred in 1911. In 1928, Disney is founded in Hollywood and is only a small animation studio. Since then Disney has grown to be the most powerful company in the animation industry. In 1995, Disney buys ABC and shows its power. Disney grows it's empire larger and larger over the years. They are behind every major animated movie nowadays and a lot of other movies and shows.
3. This talk about Disney makes me think back to all the movies that I watched as a kid. From Lion King to Frozen, Disney has been making the most famous films for children for quite some time now. Because I remember the movies of my childhood so well it makes me want to watch the new animated, Disney movies that are still coming out today.
4. Assange was a very protective man. He wanted to have information available for the public instead of being hidden from them. One question I would ask Assange would be, What did you expect Wikileaks to evolve into?
5. If and when will the next antitrust law be passed? And, if so, what will this law consist of?
Chapter 13:
ReplyDelete1.The chapter speaks about the economics of media, and how companies use power and spread, merging with other companies or buying them, to have more control over the market.
2.Monopoly is the most fun game that a company could play; however it was outlawed in 1890 with the Sherman Antitrust Act. Still the companies and big corporations curve and roll around the law, bend and curve to create the monopoly's replacement oligopoly. Disney, for example is a company that started as a small animation studio, and then it became a big movie studio and expanded with buying the ABC and numerous sports channels. Another example is the merger happened between AOL and Time Warner to become the largest media corporation and the largest internet provider in 2001.
3. I like the idea of complete control over the market, although it is not fare to the other businesses. With all these oligopolies and mergers, it seems as if the consumer has no control over what to choose, as there is no much differentiation, and most of the things are coming from the same place.
4. Since the economy is what drives the corporations, doesn't make sense that they try to own a huge part of it so that they might be able to control it?
5. I thought that Julian Assange seemed like a cold hearted criminal, as one of the movies that distort so much and be cool about it. He gives a scary of picture of himself in that way; however, I don't see him as such because he benefited and informed the people with news the leaked to them.
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. This chapter talks about the media economy and how it affects different companies, forcing them to keep up with the ever-changing technology.
2. One thing that has a major effect on the media economy is the fact that every company is in someway striving to be a monopoly, though there are laws prohibiting a company to become a monopoly there are many loop holes that different companies are finding in order to put themselves on top. Some examples would be buying out the competition and diversifying their properties. Disney is a major example of this; they started out as a cartoon company in the late 1920s. Since then the company has begun opening up different movie studios, creating theme parks around the world that are based on their movies and characters. However they have also begun to buy up different radio and sports channels in order to spread out their assets. This allows them to have a little bit of many different areas in media, bringing them in large amounts of capital without being a monopoly.
3. Reading this chapter reminded me of a media class that I took in high school. When I first read about how much different companies own, and how they’re all connected I was shocked. Coming back to it now, and looking into it with more depth still shocks me. I find it amazing how so many companies are connected that I encounter in the media everyday.
4. How will the growing social media affect the major companies that are currently attempting to “monopolize”?
5. One observation that I had made while reading the article on Julian Assange was his careful use of words. He was very cautious about what he said, and sometimes this made him seem vague; almost like he was walking around the questions instead of answering him
If I met Julian Assange I would ask him how he felt when he launched wiki-leaks, and if he thought it would be so successful.