Who owns what in the UK Media (circa 2013)? Murdoch, Desmond, the BBC - what is the impact of their ownership of multiple brands and outlets? Also a brief look at the history behind this focusing on the late 1980s (Wapping, ITV franchises, etc)

2.  Outcomes 1.2 & 1.3:
The podcast should contain a ‘case-study’ on a company
such as News Corporation that owns companies in
different industries within the creative media sector. The
case study should outline which companies they own and
an explanation of how they function independently and
as a whole. You should also explain how the industries
develop relationships in order to work more effectively,
increase profits and are successful (or unsuccessful).

3.  FACT:
All media products are
owned by someone

13. 50% BBC
Minority Stakeholder

14.  Each of these producers has legal ownership
of the particular media text they produce
 This means that they profit from the
distribution of the media text
 They are also legally responsible for its
content (complaints, regulation, legal action)

15.  Historically, Media ownership was reasonably
restricted
 Media producers tended to stick to one
channel of distribution (film, TV, radio,
magazine)
 The producers were smaller, specialist
companies
video on next slide>>>

21.  Since the 1980s, the world economic climate
has altered rapidly, with companies either
merging or being taken over by other
companies with similar interests
 This happened in all industries and not just
media
 Bigger companies = bigger profits

22.  As well as the economic changes, the Media
industry has changed rapidly in the last 20
years
 Since the late 1980s, the technology available
to distribute media texts has exploded
 This has impacted upon the companies that
produce these texts.

23.  To take advantage of the changing
technology, Media companies have seen a
significant amount of merger, takeover and
buyout
 IPC now owned by Time Warner (originally 2
companies, Time and Warner Brothers)
 New Line Cinema now owned by Disney…

25.  As a result of the size of the companies which
now operate, they are able to diversify into
more than one Media area
 IPC – Film/Magazine/News/TV
 The term to describe this is CROSS MEDIA
OWNERSHIP

26.  1) Reduced Costs – big companies have more
purchasing power (think Tesco) and produce
products at a reduced cost.
◦ They can then either pass on this reduction to the
consumer or increase their profit margins.
 2) Synergy – they are able to pool the
resources of the underlying companies to
produce a better product at a reduced cost

27.  3) Wider distribution – the markets into which
the media text can be distributed are
increased
bigger audience = bigger profit
 4) Business Security – the diversity of the
products on offer increases the security of
the business – one market fails, can focus on
another – think Sony –

28.  3) Wider distribution – the markets into which
the media text can be distributed are
increased
bigger audience = bigger profit
 4) Business Security – the diversity of the
products on offer increases the security of
the business – one market fails, can focus on
another – think Sony – then think Blackberry!

29.  The Media is very persuasive – much of this
persuasive power lies in the hands of fewer
producers. Bias and partiality severely
restricted
 Campaign for Press Freedom: ‘When media
are concentrated in the hands of powerful
proprieters deep damage can be inflicted on
democratic societies.’

30.  The Lords Select Committee (2008):
‘It is possible for one voice to become too
powerful’
…as a result any future mergers need to
be carefully scrutinised by the
government.
 Many believe little has changed.

32.  Privacy – massive databases of personal
information
 Flow of Information – information providers
control selection, organisation and flow of
information
Time Warner own 1,000,000,000 Google shares.
Google own You Tube
 Branding – media texts become part of a
brand and lose their individual status

33.  There are both advantages and disadvantages
of this global change
 What is clear is that change is happening
NOW