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Author and Page information by Anup Shah This Page Last Updated Friday, January 02, 2009 This page: http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership. To print all information e.g. expanded side notes, shows alternative links, use the print version:

Some nations can influence and control their media greatly. In addition, powerful corporations also have enormous influence on mainstream media.

In some places major multinational corporations own media stations and outlets. Often, many media institutions survive on advertising fees, which can lead to the media outlet being influenced by various corporate interests. Other times, the ownership interests may affect what is and is not covered. Stories can end up being biased or omitted so as not to offend advertisers or owners. The ability for citizens to make informed decisions is crucial for a free and functioning democracy but now becomes threatened by such concentration in ownership.

The idea of corporate media itself may not be a bad thing, for it can foster healthy competition and provide a check against governments. However, the concern is when there is a concentration of ownership due to the risk of increased economic and political influence that can itself be unaccountable.

Global conglomerates can at times have a progressive impact on culture, especially when they enter nations that had been tightly controlled by corrupt crony media systems (as in much of Latin America) or nations that had significant state censorship over media (as in parts of Asia). The global commercial-media system is radical in that it will respect no tradition or custom, on balance, if it stands in the way of profits. But ultimately it is politically conservative, because the media giants are significant beneficiaries of the current social structure around the world, and any upheaval in property or social relationsparticularly to the extent that it reduces the power of businessis not in their interest.

Robert W. McChesney, The New Global Media; Its a Small World of Big Conglomerates, The Nation Magazine, November 29, 1999

We are here to serve advertisers. That is our raison detre.

the C.E.O. of Westinghouse(CBS), Advertising Age, February 3, 97

Having a few huge corporations control our outlets of expression could lead to less aggressive news coverage and a more muted marketplace of ideas.

Rifka Rosenwein, Why Media Mergers Matter, Brills Content, December 1999

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Media Conglomerates, Mergers, Concentration of Ownership ...