Welcome!
We
are gathered here today to learn about how my world might work if I
ever make it happen...
Something
you may or may not be aware of that Peter Steven (2003) shares with
us is this piece of information: "Other capitalist media systems
around the world show the same patterns, whereby the ruling state has
encouraged, legislated or passively allowed a small number of media
groups... to control the various industries."
I don't know about you but I find that idea slightly frightening. Though, to be fair, when I think of the word 'empire' I do also think of power and leadership – good and bad.
I don't know about you but I find that idea slightly frightening. Though, to be fair, when I think of the word 'empire' I do also think of power and leadership – good and bad.
The Oxford Dictionary defines the word 'empire' as “an
extensive group of states or countries ruled over by a single
monarch, an oligarchy, or a sovereign state.” This definition isn't
particularly appealing to me but if
I had the chance to be some sort of media mogul I'd use that power
for my idea of 'good': helping people to connect with one another and
find information. Was that not the original purpose of the media?
I wouldn't do it in a forceful way; I don't want to be responsible for some gigantic culture clash. I don't want to dictate. I don't want a Murdoch-eqsue right-wing agenda. I wouldn't try to push physical flows or culture flows. I WOULD try to push media and information flows. Maybe even capital flows. Don't think I'm being Marxist. There's a difference between being Marxist and encouraging equality across all subgroups of the population.
I wouldn't do it in a forceful way; I don't want to be responsible for some gigantic culture clash. I don't want to dictate. I don't want a Murdoch-eqsue right-wing agenda. I wouldn't try to push physical flows or culture flows. I WOULD try to push media and information flows. Maybe even capital flows. Don't think I'm being Marxist. There's a difference between being Marxist and encouraging equality across all subgroups of the population.
I
don't want ownership. I understand that there are many different
cultures and ways of life. I don't want to impose any one ideal onto
all human beings but I do think it's important that we find a way to
connect to one another and open our eyes and minds to how the rest of
the world is living.
This probably sounds much too idealistic but I don't like the definition of an empire as it stands and I don't like the idea of capitalist media systems. I'm just enjoying envisioning a world where the media focus less energy on creating a biased influence over the information we receive.
This probably sounds much too idealistic but I don't like the definition of an empire as it stands and I don't like the idea of capitalist media systems. I'm just enjoying envisioning a world where the media focus less energy on creating a biased influence over the information we receive.
References
Steven, P 2003, The no-nonsense guide to the global media, New Internationalist, Oxford, p. 48
“empire”, Oxford Dictionaries April 2010, Oxford University Press, Retrieved July 23 2012 <http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/empire>
Steven, P 2003, The no-nonsense guide to the global media, New Internationalist, Oxford, p. 48
“empire”, Oxford Dictionaries April 2010, Oxford University Press, Retrieved July 23 2012 <http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/empire>
