The retentions of the Big 6 Giants clearly prove that the media industry is dominated by a few houses in oligopoly. I am certain that most people are incognizant of the fact that merely a few pudding stones dominate mainstream media. However. it is clearly true—the nine current media conglomerates together own more than 90 % of the media market. In finding how oligopoly in the media industry affects the messages that people receive. its necessary non merely to look at the market portion controlled by pudding stones in sum. but instead by each pudding stone. I contend that if a individual pudding stone controls a significant part of the media market. it carries immense control over peoples perceptual experiences and values as a whole.

When a individual conglobation controls a assortment of media. it avoids antimonopoly jurisprudence through the usage of synergism. The job with synergism is that a major company has the capacity to utilize the same pieces of information and change them somewhat to suit the audiences of different webs and media. Because there is less competition over media infinite. and because the usage of a individual position might be considered more cost effectual. audience members are unable to witness as many alone positions when watching telecasting or listening to the wireless. Alternatively. we hear the same narratives over and over once more. but altered somewhat to prolong an semblance of pick.

Michael Eisner claims that synergy doesnt injury society every bit long as the quality of plans remains high. Eisners argument therefore seems to be a restatement of the skyscraper model—as long as telecasting pudding stones promote high civilization. we have nil to fear. The unfortunate job is that quality is subjective. One state quality is another state low civilization. In add-on. the thought of airing on the footing of quality in and of itself seems to demand that we pander to the penchants of mainstream America. We can non vouch that a plan is accurate or valuable. but we can surely vouch that it furthers the ends of Americas elite. As a consequence. we see fewer and fewer narratives and positions. and those that particularly threaten mainstream America. such as the publicity of solidarity amongst the lower class—fall by the roadside.

General Electric seems to transport the largest portion out of all the other conglobations. The remainder of the Big 6 carry smaller but comparable sizes of market portion. I think that if any company poses a menace to the democratisation of information and civilization. General Electric is it. Controling webs such as NBC. USA. A & A ; E. and the Sci-Fi Channel. General Electric has the capacity to act upon audiences apprehensions of American civilization. history. and scientific discipline. Not merely that. General Electrics bets in military production and consumer merchandises throw into inquiry its capacity to supply just and indifferent narratives to the populace. Could it be that the diverseness of GEs merchandise line lends itself to struggles of involvement?

Bibliography

Media & A ; Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communications vol. 6 ( Campbell. Martin. Fabos ) Text book used as a guideline. no direct quotation marks are taken