"Concentration of media ownership (also known as media consolidation or media convergence) is a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media."
Understanding the implications of media ownership and control, including consolidation, monopolies, and diversity of viewpoints.
Media Ownership: It refers to the concentration of media ownership in the hands of a few large corporations or individuals, impacting media diversity and pluralism.
Media Regulation: The rules and policies governing the media industry, including licensing, content restrictions, and ownership and control regulations.
Media Ethics: Principles of ethical conduct in the media industry, including accuracy, fairness, balance, and transparency.
Content Analysis: The systematic analysis of media content to identify patterns, trends, and biases.
Media Bias: The perceived partiality or unfairness in media reporting and coverage.
Media Literacy: The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media content critically.
Free Speech: The right to express one's opinions without censorship or restraint.
Media Consolidation: The process of fewer firms owning more media outlets, leading to a loss of diversity and plurality in media.
Gatekeeping: The process of selecting, filtering, and disseminating news and information by media gatekeepers.
Censorship: The suppression or control of information deemed harmful, objectionable or sensitive by government, organizations, or individuals.
Ownership Concentration: The trend of fewer individuals or companies owning a significant proportion of media outlets, leading to a concentration of power and influence.
Public Interest: Media's responsibility to serve the needs and interests of the public in providing information and entertainment.
Media Monopoly: The domination of a particular media market by a single firm or an individual.
Fairness Doctrine: The regulatory policy that ensured media outlets provided balanced coverage of issues and opposing views.
Media Convergence: The phenomenon of different media platforms merging into a single delivery system, leading to changes in media consumption, ownership, and regulation.
Net Neutrality: The principle that ensures internet service providers treat all internet traffic equally, without discrimination or favoritism.
Media Ownership Diversity: Media outlets reflecting the diversity of the communities they serve in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and political views.
Media Market Size: The size, scope, and geographical reach of media markets, influencing the concentration of media ownership and control.
Media Independence: The extent to which media outlets operate autonomously, free from external interference, control, or influence.
Media Pluralism: The presence of a diverse range of media outlets, reflecting a variety of opinions, voices, and cultural perspectives.
State media: This is media that is owned and controlled by the government, and is often used as a tool for propaganda and promoting the government's agenda.
Public media: This is media that is funded by the government but is meant to be independent and unbiased, and is intended to serve the public interest.
Private media: This is media that is owned and controlled by private individuals or corporations, and is typically operated for profit.
Transnational media: This is media that crosses national borders and is often owned and controlled by multinational corporations or conglomerates.
Community media: This is media that is owned and controlled by members of a particular community or group, and is often intended to serve the interests of that community.
Alternative media: This is media that is outside of the mainstream, such as blogs, social media, and independent publications, and is often intended to provide an alternative perspective to the dominant media narrative.
Concentrated media ownership: This is when a small number of companies own and control a large portion of the media landscape, which can limit diversity of opinion and create conflicts of interest.
Diversified media ownership: This is when there are many different companies and individuals owning and controlling media outlets, which can promote a greater range of viewpoints.
Monopolistic media ownership: This is when a single company has complete control over a particular media market, which can lead to abuse of power and stifling of competition.
Co-operative media ownership: This is when a media outlet is owned collectively by its workers or members, and is run according to democratic principles.
"Contemporary research demonstrates increasing levels of consolidation, with many media industries already highly concentrated and dominated by a very small number of firms."
"Globally, large media conglomerates include Bertelsmann, National Amusements (Paramount Global), Sony Group Corporation, News Corp, Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox Corporation, Hearst Communications, Amazon (MGM Holdings Inc.), Grupo Globo (South America), and Lagardère Group."
"As of 2022, the largest media conglomerates in terms of revenue are Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Paramount Global."