Write a paper on the Media Monopoly
Read the article and be sure to carefully look through all the charts and graphics to learn about who really owns and controls the media.
Were you surprised to learn that only six companies control 90% of what we read, watch and listen to? What other things surprised you? What are the implications for you as a media consumer and for the “diversity of messages” and information?
Thirty years ago 50 companies controlled 90% of media. Through deregulation, the companies were allowed to consolidate and merge to eight just a few years ago and now to just the six today. What’s more, rumors swirl all the time of these six merging in some fashion. Do media mergers benefit or harm consumers? What is the danger of these six merging?
Some media critics argue that we have more media choices than ever before. Do you feel there are more choices or just the illusion of choice? Explain your answer.
Part 2: Big Tech
In previous weeks, we discussed the powerful big tech or FAANG companies (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google). Microsoft and Twitter are runners up. If you combine the power of these companies (and the information they have access too) with the six big media companies, what will that mean for information dissemination?
There are some who say the FAANG companies are so powerful and control so much of how we access information, as well as owning a massive amount of private information about its users that it sells to advertisers, that — if they wanted to — they could takeover and run the world.
Do you think this scenario is possible? Why or why not? With this in mind, should these companies be more regulated by governments? Something to keep in mind is that even if the U.S. passes more regulation and demands more accountability, these companies permeate every country on earth. How do you control that? Do you think the “genie is out of the bottle” and can’t be contained?
Please use the sources from the paper instructions to complete this assignment thank you!