To what extent is the Pluralist view of the media accurate? [15]
Candidates will need to accurately identify what is meant by the Pluralist view and how
accurate this is.
Pluralists believe that the audience have control of today’s media content in contrast to the
Marxists, who believe that who owns the media is vital in determining output.
Possible answers:
For
• Increased levels of audience interactivity means that the audience effectively decide
upon media content and outcomes
• Possibilities for user generated content through, for example, social media sites blogging
sites means that the audience determine media content today
• New media offers such a vast array of choice to a global audience that no single group
or class can impose its views onto others making the media more democratic
• The media today covers all kinds of interests and points of view
• New technologies means that ordinary people have the opportunities to create their own
media products and distribute them around the world
• Today’s media has to cater for all kinds of tastes and interests – if the audience doesn’t
like it then they will quite simply not consume it and choose something else instead
• Freedom of speech is allowed in most of the world’s media
• The media gives an unbiased account of news as TV news, for example, has to be
impartial in the UK
• Media effects theories such as uses and gratifications and active audience models
• Other reasonable response.
Against
• Marxists believe the content of the media reflects the views of the media owners and the
most powerful people in society
• Not all groups have the same levels of access and opportunity to get their views across
in the media – factors such as class, affluence, ethnicity and gender are all relevant here
• Ideas or groups who threaten the ‘status quo’ are typically ignored, criticised or ridiculed
in the media
• There may be more media products to choose from but is there actually any more
content or is it just more of the same?
• News values and definitions of newsworthiness means that only certain stories and
events receive media coverage
• The media aim to manipulate public opinion not merely reflect it i.e. spin doctors
• Media effects theories such as the hypodermic syringe and passive audience models
• Other reasonable response.
To what extent is the Pluralist view of the media accurate? [15]
Candidates will need to accurately identify what is meant by the Pluralist view and how
accurate this is.
Pluralists believe that the audience have control of today’s media content in contrast to the
Marxists, who believe that who owns the media is vital in determining output.
Possible answers:
For
• Increased levels of audience interactivity means that the audience effectively decide
upon media content and outcomes
• Possibilities for user generated content through, for example, social media sites blogging
sites means that the audience determine media content today
• New media offers such a vast array of choice to a global audience that no single group
or class can impose its views onto others making the media more democratic
• The media today covers all kinds of interests and points of view
• New technologies means that ordinary people have the opportunities to create their own
media products and distribute them around the world
• Today’s media has to cater for all kinds of tastes and interests – if the audience doesn’t
like it then they will quite simply not consume it and choose something else instead
• Freedom of speech is allowed in most of the world’s media
• The media gives an unbiased account of news as TV news, for example, has to be
impartial in the UK
• Media effects theories such as uses and gratifications and active audience models
• Other reasonable response.
Against
• Marxists believe the content of the media reflects the views of the media owners and the
most powerful people in society
• Not all groups have the same levels of access and opportunity to get their views across
in the media – factors such as class, affluence, ethnicity and gender are all relevant here
• Ideas or groups who threaten the ‘status quo’ are typically ignored, criticised or ridiculed
in the media
• There may be more media products to choose from but is there actually any more
content or is it just more of the same?
• News values and definitions of newsworthiness means that only certain stories and
events receive media coverage
• The media aim to manipulate public opinion not merely reflect it i.e. spin doctors
• Media effects theories such as the hypodermic syringe and passive audience models
• Other reasonable response.