Public Ownership of the Mass Media

Here’s an answer to my question from yesterday:

Marxists

Those on the Marxist side would see the ownership of the mass media as being highly restricted, making it hard for the media to be truly democratic and representative.

But, they could argue that public ownership, like that of the BBC, provided that it is truly democratic, offers a correction and safeguard against the power of private and commercial interests.

Defending public broadcasting is therefore important, those of a ‘Marxist’ or broadly left viewpoint can argue, since it protects broadcasting and the media from the distorting power of market forces.

Pluralists

Pluralists, if they follow the logic of the theory, can argue that public broadcasting, as long as it is one of several sources of media, is a public benefit, helping to expand public choice.

However, often those who argue that there is a wide range of media sources available, may in their political outlook, advocate a free market approach to broadcasting. This is more of an economic and a political theory.

Free Market Approach

Public broadcasting is not democratically organised and it deprives people of the freedom to choose which media to use

The state forces everyone – regardless of whether they watch BBC TV, to buy a licence for their TV.

Many of these free market critics would like to see the BBC licence fee reduced. Taken to an extreme, the most radical versions of the free market view could logically argue that all broadcasting should be left to the free market.

But one observation to make of the free market approach would would be to say that public broadcasting arrangements are the outcome of political activity. If those who wish to reduce or even abolish the licence fee can gather enough political support, the arrangements can be changed.

I think its helpful to point out these political arguments as it allows you to separate out the sociology and the politics. These economic and political views underlie and can overlap the sociological approaches. Although sociologists aim to be dispassionate and value-free, inevitably their own political views and preferences will inform how they research and view society, and that’s just as true for the media as for any other topic.