Lecture on Curran and Seaton's Theory of Power and Media Industries

Introduction

• Focus on Curran and Seaton's theory as it applies to newspapers.
• The importance of understanding media control and profit motives.
• Key concepts include media ownership concentration and its impact on content.

Core Concepts of Curran and Seaton's Theory

1. Media Ownership Concentration

   • Media controlled by few companies.
   • Ownership is concentrated among a small number of powerful entities.

2. Profit Motive

   • Media companies primarily aim to make profit.
   • Products are created with profit maximization as a goal.

3. Horizontal and Vertical Integration

   • Horizontal Integration: Companies grow by acquiring others at the same supply chain level.
     • Example: Meta (formerly Facebook) acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp.
   • Vertical Integration: Companies control multiple stages of production and distribution.
     • Example: Disney's control over production, distribution, and retail (Disney+ and Disney stores).

4. Impact on Media Content

   • Media concentration negatively affects diversity in content.
   • Popular formats are repeated for profit (e.g., dating shows).
   • Minority interests are marginalized to prioritize profitable mainstream content.

Application to Newspapers

• Horizontal Integration in Newspapers

  • Examples: Daily Mail, Metro, and The I owned by Associated Press.
  • The Sun and The Times owned by Rupert Murdoch.

• Vertical Integration in Newspapers

  • Less common but seen with examples like The Sun owning corner stores.

• Content Impact

  • Popular stories are prioritized over minority or niche content.
  • Example: Repeated focus on popular topics like the Royal Family.

Criticism and Evaluation of the Theory

• Media concentration leads to replication of successful formats (similar themes or stories across different outlets).
• Limited representation of diverse voices due to ownership concentration.
• Internet does not fully disrupt this concentration due to dominance by a few large entities.

Case Study Examples

• Daily Mail: Focuses on popular, mass-appeal stories (e.g., Harry and Megan).
• The Guardian: Emphasizes investigative journalism, owned by Scott Trust, less profit-driven.

Evaluating the Theory

• Usefulness

  • Highlights ownership and control effects on media content and political influences.
  • Reflects the narrow political range in British national papers.

• Limitations

  • Emphasizes ownership effects but lacks insight into ideologies, audience choice, and media language.
  • Does not account for media conventions or audience expectations.

Conclusion

• Apply Curran and Seaton's theory effectively in media studies, particularly in evaluating newspapers.
• Consider its usefulness and limitations when analyzing media production and content.

Practice Question

• Evaluate the effectiveness of Curran and Seaton's theory in understanding how newspapers are produced.
  • Spend about 15 minutes on this 10-mark question.
  • Include examples and demonstrate a balanced understanding of the theory's value and limitations.