Media is not a neutral channel — it is used strategically by different actors (media institutions, governments, and individuals) to pursue specific goals. Understanding these uses is essential for evaluating media influence and the distribution of power within the media landscape.
Media convergence and conglomeration: A small number of large multinational corporations control the majority of global media production and distribution. Major conglomerates include:
- News Corp (Rupert Murdoch): newspapers, television news (Fox News), streaming
- Disney/ABC: film studios, broadcast television, streaming (Disney+), theme parks
- Meta: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp — social media and advertising
- Alphabet/Google: YouTube, Google Search, online advertising
- Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+: streaming and original content production
How globalised media institutions use media:
- Commercial purposes: generating advertising revenue, subscription income, and content licensing
- Market expansion: distributing content globally to maximise audience reach and revenue
- Ideological influence: setting agendas, framing issues, and normalising particular values — often aligned with the commercial interests of the corporation
- Platform control: determining what content is distributed, to whom, and on what terms
The concentration of ownership means that fewer voices control more of the media landscape, raising concerns about diversity of representation and plurality of political perspectives.
State-funded public broadcasting (e.g. ABC Australia, BBC UK, Al Jazeera Qatar):
- Funded by government but editorially independent — at least in principle
- Mandated to serve the public interest rather than commercial interests
- Subject to political pressure, particularly when funding is controlled by the government of the day
State-controlled media (e.g. CCTV China, RT Russia):
- Directly controlled by government
- Used to promote government narratives, suppress dissent, and project national power internationally
- The distinction between journalism and propaganda may be absent
Government regulation and use of media:
- Political advertising and communication campaigns
- Crisis communication (public health announcements, emergency warnings)
- Media regulation (classification systems, broadcasting standards, defamation law)
- Surveillance and information collection via digital platforms
Governments in democratic contexts use media for:
- Policy communication and public consultation
- Electoral campaigning and political persuasion
- Diplomatic communication (including via social media — e.g. heads of state on X/Twitter)
Digital technology has enabled individuals to use media as producers, not just consumers:
Content creation: YouTube creators, podcasters, Instagram influencers, TikTok users, and bloggers create and distribute media to audiences of varying sizes — from dozens to hundreds of millions.
Citizen journalism: Individuals document events (protests, police conduct, natural disasters) and distribute footage globally via social media, often before or instead of mainstream media coverage.
Activism and advocacy: Social movements use social media platforms to organise, mobilise, and amplify marginalized voices — e.g. #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, #FridaysForFuture.
Misinformation and disinformation: Individuals also use media to spread false or misleading content, which can be amplified by algorithmic recommendation systems and social networks.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Media is used by institutions, governments, and individuals to pursue goals ranging from profit to political power to personal expression. These uses are often in tension — commercial media interests may conflict with public interest journalism; government media management may conflict with press freedom; individual expression may conflict with harmful content regulation.
EXAM TIP: For any question about media use by institutions or governments, always identify the specific goal being pursued and the specific media form or channel being used to pursue it. Generic statements about ‘media being used to influence people’ are insufficient — name the actor, the goal, and the mechanism.
