Communications

Posted: September 25th, 2015

1. McChesney seems to make the assumption that media organizations are motivated only by a desire to make profits. Based on what you’ve read and, perhaps, on your personal experiences, do you think this assumption is almost always true; is often true, but there are important exceptions to it; or is almost never true?

2. McChesney gives four reasons that media firms seek to become larger – reasons that they seek to merge with other media organizations to create what he calls media conglomerates. It’s important that you understand these reasons, which are:

Cross-promotion
Cross-production
Cross-advertising
Capacity to produce blockbusters

3. The Federal Communications Commission has played a role in making these mergers possible, in McChesney’s view. What does McChesney say the FCC has done to “encourage” the mergers?