The late 1970s were a phase where the idea of strengthening anti-monopoly legislation became imminent but both the Labour and the Conservative government since 1977 ignored the advice from the Press Commission to strengthen it. This was the reason why the antimonopoly law in 1981 was ineffective and Rupert Murdoch was given permission to buy The Times and the Sunday Times. At this period Murdoch owned national daily newspapers with 30 per cent circulation of all British newspapers, and national Sunday newspapers with 31 per cent circulation. The take-overs have not even been referred to the Monopolies Commission (Curran, 1991).
1986 marked a big change for the press in Britain. The Employment Acts of 1980 and 1982 by the Conservative government weakened the power of the trade unions. Until this time the press owners were forced to accept that the unions were against new technologies, which would decrease the amount of workers, and which could strengthen the proprietor’s role and financial success. It was Rupert Murdoch again who gained from this political change the most: In 1985 he built a new computerised printing plant in Wapping, while the union protested against the change. The members finally went on strike on January 24 th 1986, which gave Murdoch under the new Conservative employment law the right to dismiss the print workers without being required to give them expensive compensations. Murdoch lost only one day before his new system in Wapping produced the first newspaper editions because he transferred all technology while negotiating with the union. The new technology transformed the cost structure and increased the profitability of media companies (McNair, 1996).
The economy of the 1980s changed to an “Alliance capitalism” which made it possible that for example Murdoch’s company News Corporation owned newspapers in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. These control and have directorial influence over the two biggest news agencies of the world Reuters and Associated Press which insist to be able to prevent any take-over. In the 1980s changing practises in particular of the entertainment industries with a few enormous multi-national companies dominating the market occurred. This decreased the competition and created oligopolies with industry sectors shared by a few global companies. A British example is again Rupert Murdoch owning Fox in America, Star TV in Asia and Sky in the UK (Paterson, 1998). [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The 1950s: Introduction of Commercial Television
3. The late 1970s and 1980s: Anti-monopoly Legislation and Political Shifts
4. The 1980s and 1990s: Economic Changes and Technological Innovations
5. Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996
6. Concerns Regarding the Rise of Media Moguls
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This academic assignment aims to examine the historical, economic, and political shifts that facilitated the rise of powerful media moguls in Britain during the latter half of the 20th century, specifically evaluating how legislative deregulation and technological advancements shaped media ownership concentration.
- The impact of the introduction of commercial television (ITV) in the 1950s.
- The influence of Conservative government policies and trade union weakening on media structures.
- The transition toward "Alliance capitalism" and the rise of multinational media conglomerates.
- The regulatory implications of the Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996 on media concentration.
- The potential democratic risks posed by the concentration of media ownership.
Excerpt from the Book
The Wapping Revolution and Political Change
1986 marked a big change for the press in Britain. The Employment Acts of 1980 and 1982 by the Conservative government weakened the power of the trade unions. Until this time the press owners were forced to accept that the unions were against new technologies, which would decrease the amount of workers, and which could strengthen the proprietor’s role and financial success. It was Rupert Murdoch again who gained from this political change the most: In 1985 he built a new computerised printing plant in Wapping, while the union protested against the change. The members finally went on strike on January 24th 1986, which gave Murdoch under the new Conservative employment law the right to dismiss the print workers without being required to give them expensive compensations. Murdoch lost only one day before his new system in Wapping produced the first newspaper editions because he transferred all technology while negotiating with the union. The new technology transformed the cost structure and increased the profitability of media companies (McNair, 1996).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the chronological scope of the research and the key areas of analysis regarding media mogul development in Britain.
2. The 1950s: Introduction of Commercial Television: Discusses the emergence of ITV and the early monopolistic trends driven by the Grade brothers within the television and theatre sectors.
3. The late 1970s and 1980s: Anti-monopoly Legislation and Political Shifts: Examines the failure of regulatory bodies to prevent media consolidation and the subsequent expansion of Rupert Murdoch's press empire.
4. The 1980s and 1990s: Economic Changes and Technological Innovations: Explores the shift to "Alliance capitalism" and how new technologies like the internet fostered market concentration.
5. Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996: Analyzes the legislative deregulation that eased restrictions on media ownership and enabled further market concentration.
6. Concerns Regarding the Rise of Media Moguls: Evaluates the dangers posed by proprietor influence on editorial content and political agendas.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings concerning the structural changes and the rise of global media influence in Britain.
Keywords
Media Moguls, British Media, ITV, Rupert Murdoch, Broadcasting Acts, Media Concentration, Alliance Capitalism, Deregulation, Press Ownership, Trade Unions, Wapping, Anti-monopoly Law, Editorial Influence, Globalization, Mass Media.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this assignment?
The assignment investigates the rise of media moguls in Britain from the 1950s to the 1990s, focusing on the economic and political factors that enabled the concentration of media power.
Which thematic areas are highlighted in the work?
The work covers the introduction of commercial television, the role of political change, technological advancements, shifts in regulatory policy, and the resulting social and democratic concerns.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The goal is to analyze how legislative and economic shifts created an environment where a few powerful individuals could control significant portions of the media market.
Which scientific method is applied?
The essay uses a chronological historical analysis based on existing academic literature and industry reports to trace the development of the British media landscape.
What topics are discussed in the main section?
The main section covers the transition of the ITV network, the impact of the Conservative government's labor laws, the technological transition in printing, and the deregulation seen in the 1990s broadcasting acts.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Media Moguls, British Media, Broadcasting Acts, Deregulation, Media Concentration, and Editorial Influence.
How did the 1996 Broadcasting Act specifically impact media ownership?
It further relaxed cross-ownership legislation, allowing publishers to own higher percentages of radio and television markets, which deepened overall media concentration.
What example is provided regarding the risks of financial power?
The essay details the case of Axel Springer in Germany, who used his newspaper empire to force other publishers to remove East German TV listings, demonstrating the leverage media owners have over competitors.
- Citar trabajo
- Torsten Teering (Autor), 2002, The rise of medi moguls, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/17383
