Media and Society

Print, audiovisual, and electronic forms of media have come to dominate our daily lives in ways indiscernible just decades ago. While the different uses of media vary from region to region, the very notion of employing this mode of communication for social, political, and economic purposes has been a subject of great debate worldwide.

Since the 1980s, media infrastructure across the world has been undergoing continuous change. Today, the factors which permeate global news output are the extensive modes of integration of media corporations which underline a growing shift towards the centralized control of media. In addition, governments are having more editorial influence on what is acceptable for publishing.

The overarching role of the media is to serve as the medium through which information is delivered to the masses. This information serves the purpose of informing and educating the public, as well as entertaining them. It is this free flow of ideas and reporting that provides the necessary accountability that governments, corporations and large organizations, among others, would otherwise be without, an accountability so important to the proper functioning of plural society that its right is in many cases entrenched in the legislation of countries, protecting it from abuse.

Despite the ideal of having a free and uncensored media, the realities of the world in which we live do not allow for this ideals success. With the increase in media integration, consolidation and powerful economic interests shaping the global media infrastructure as well as news output, the ability to preserve the freedom of the press is becoming less likely and more hindered.

At this time, nine corporations effectively control most of all global media output. From the morning news and the weather, to mid-day traffic reporting, to music, video and print during the day and on the weekend; the pervasiveness these conglomerates enjoy is outstanding. With combined annual revenues averaging well into the billions, they are well poised to maintain their prominence in spite of any criticism. In fact, in many countries, where state control of the media is not a factor, governments themselves encourage corporate medias ambitions. The ambitions, of course, are to maximize revenues by consolidating operations. Though more often than not, at the expense of news diversity, variety and original perspective.