Power and the media

Power and the Media

1. What is meant by “power” in media studies?

Power can be understood as the ability to influence thoughts, attitudes, behaviours and the distribution of resources. In the context of media it refers to the ways in which media organisations, owners, regulators and audiences can shape what is communicated and how it is interpreted.

2. Theoretical frameworks for analysing power

Several key theories help us examine how power operates within the media landscape:

• Political Economy – focuses on ownership, control of resources and the commercial imperatives that drive media content.
• Agenda‑Setting Theory – suggests that the media do not tell us what to think, but what to think about.
• Framing Theory – examines how the presentation of an issue influences audience interpretation.
• Cultural Hegemony (Gramsci) – looks at how dominant groups maintain power by shaping cultural norms and values.
• Public Sphere (Habermas) – considers the media’s role in facilitating rational debate among citizens.

3. Media ownership and concentration

Ownership patterns are a primary source of power. Concentration can limit diversity of viewpoints and increase commercial pressure.

Ownership Type	Typical Power Effects	Examples (UK)
State‑owned	Direct political control; agenda aligned with government policy.	BBC (charter‑based), Channel 4 (public service remit)
Corporate conglomerate	Commercial priorities dominate; cross‑promotion across platforms.	News Corp, BT Group
Independent/community	Greater editorial freedom; often locally focused.	Local radio stations, community newspapers

4. Agenda‑Setting

The process can be broken down into three stages:

1. Selection of issues by journalists/editors.
2. Placement (prominence) within the news agenda (front page, lead story, broadcast time).
3. Public perception of issue importance, measured through surveys or social media trends.

Research often uses the “issue salience” model, expressed mathematically as:

$$\text{Salience}_{i} = \frac{\text{Coverage}_{i}}{\sum_{j=1}^{N}\text{Coverage}_{j}}$$

where $\text{Coverage}_{i}$ is the amount of space/time given to issue $i$.

5. Framing

Framing involves selecting certain aspects of a perceived reality and making them more salient in a communication text. Common frame types include:

• Conflict frame – emphasizes disagreement.
• Human interest frame – focuses on personal stories.
• Economic consequences frame – highlights financial impact.
• Moral/ethical frame – presents issues as right or wrong.

6. Political Economy of Media

Key concepts:

• Commercialisation – revenue models (advertising, subscription) shape content.
• Regulation – Ofcom, media ownership rules, broadcasting codes.
• Globalisation – Transnational media corporations and the flow of content across borders.

7. Case Study: The 2024 UK General Election Coverage

Analyse how power was exercised through the following lenses:

1. Ownership – Compare coverage on BBC (public service) vs. ITV (commercial).
2. Agenda‑Setting – Identify the top three issues highlighted in the week before the election.
3. Framing – Examine how the “cost‑of‑living crisis” was framed across different outlets.
4. Regulatory response – Discuss Ofcom’s rulings on impartiality.

8. Critical perspectives

Students should consider the following questions:

• To what extent can audiences resist or reinterpret dominant media messages?
• How do digital platforms (social media, streaming services) alter traditional power structures?
• What role do alternative media play in challenging hegemonic narratives?

9. Suggested classroom activities

• Content analysis: Students code a week’s worth of news for agenda‑setting and framing.
• Debate: “Is media ownership concentration a threat to democratic discourse?”
• Group project: Create a mock news bulletin that deliberately uses a chosen frame to influence audience perception.

10. Further reading (A‑Level approved)

• McQuail, D. (2010) Mass Communication Theory, Sage.
• Herman, E. & Chomsky, N. (2002) Manufacturing Consent, Pantheon.
• Entman, R. (1993) “Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm”, Journal of Communication.
• Ofcom (2024) “Broadcasting Code – Impartiality and Accuracy”.