Media Monopolies Injure Society

Media monopolies and how they injure society has always been and will continue to be a topical issue.  This is hardly surprising in today’s climate as companies have a basic interest in increasing their profits.  However it does not take long for this interest to turn into greed and encourage media companies to seek a monopoly.  There are many arguments that can be made to support the view of how media monopolies injure society, some of which are covered in this essay. The following topics will be discussed in this essay 1.Danger of media monopolies with too much power, 2. Nothing will stand in the way of a Media Company looking for a monopoly, 3.What can be done to stop media monopolies from injuring society, 4.Media monopolies injure democracy, 5.Shaping views of future leaders.  Evaluation of the main points of this essay show that while some efforts have been made to stop media monopolies from injuring society, they still carry on regardless.

Large media companies are most dangerous when given too much power for example individuals like Rupert Murdoch who will exploit it to their own advantage. Newscorps involvement in the phone hacking scandal not only injured society, it also had a devastating effect on the lives of ordinary people.  The case has become so serious that the F.B.I has launched an investigation into Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.  Many believe the recent phone tapping scandal could be Murdoch’s downfall.  Rupert Murdoch will continue to dominate with his ownership of Television networks, Film Companies and numerous international newspapers.  Large companies like Newscorp will be most dangerous when given too much power. 

When a media company wants a monopoly nothing will stand in their way. Denis O’ Brien and how he influenced Michael Lowry to give Esat Digifone the licence to operate in Ireland is a perfect example of this point.  A subsequent tribunal of inquiry was set up to investigate the matter but no individual has yet been prosecuted.  The awarding of the licence not only injured society because Denis O’ Brien gained a Monopoly but also lacked transparency.  Mr O’Brien’s payments to Michael Lowry also highlighted the warm relationship that once existed between Media Companies and members of the political establishment.  Denis O’ Brien injured society further when he netted millions of euro from the sale of Esat Digifone to British Telecom.  Denis O’ Brien’s bid to buy shares in I.N.M is another example of how a media company will let nothing stand in their way of achieving a monopoly.  It is this kind of practice that injures society.  

Many commentators have argued that media monopolies can not be stopped. What if anything can be done?.  Every country in the European Union is obliged to follow the competition laws set down by the European Parliament.  If any company is found in breach of the competition laws, the commission has the power to impose fines of up to 10% of turnover.  This clearly shows that the authorities will no longer stand aside and allow media monopolies to injure society.   The E.U has to reform competition laws to prevent companies from finding loopholes and engaging in anti-competitive practices. Legislation that was introduced in May 2004 gave power to individual competition authorities to enforce E.U competition law.  This will not only help in the fight against media monolpies in Ireland but throughout the European Union.  The most important aspect to come out of the 2004 reforms of E.U competition law was that the respective competition authorities are now in a position to co-operate when conducting an investigation.  This clearly shows that something is being done to stop media monopolies from injuring society.  

The fight against media monopolies is not only happening in Europe, Ireland is also taking the matter very seriously.  The competition authority is the body that ensures all aspects of competition law are enforced in Ireland. The government has also taken action, with the publication of the competition amendment act 2011.  The most important aspect of this legislation is if a member of the public is of the view that they have been affected by anti-competitive practices it will now be easier to prove an action against a particular group or company. The only way we can prevent society from being injured by media monoplies is if the authorities and the people join together.  

Media monopolies not only injure society they also injure democracy.  It is a well-known fact that democracy is one of the main pillars of society and any threat to democracy should be seen as a direct threat to society.  In the 21^st century media monopolies should be viewed as the biggest threat to democracy.  It is time that politicians started doing the job people elected them to do, because if democracy is injured beyond repair society will be too weak to fight back.  The Australian Prime minster Julia Gillard  announced in July of last year , that an inquiry will be set up to investigate NewsCorps practices in Australia.  If large media monoplies like NewsCorp are to pay for the injures they inflicted on society, other parliaments should take note.  Democracy is already in a volatile position and we should not allow media monopolies to injure it further.  

Media monopolies not only shape our political attitudes but also the political attitudes of our future leaders.  It is a well-documented fact that media monopolies injure society, but it is a far less documented fact that the same people are shaping the attitudes of our future leaders.  Media monopolies are in a position to do this because they provide information that voters base their decisions on.  This information will not only injure society today, but also injure society in years to come.  If we don’t stop media monolpies from doing this it will be the powerful media executives running society and not the politicians whom we elect.  Media monolpies will continue to get away with this crime against society because not enough attention is being paid to how news is being framed. It should also be highlighted that relatively nothing is being written on the political consequences of media frames and how it will influence tomorrow’s leaders.  We must do more as a society to protect tomorrow’s leaders.  

Without the media the world would be a dull and uneducated place but we could easily survive without domineering media monopolies injuring society often, beyond repair. That is why we must make greater efforts to prevent media monopolies from carrying on regardless, because if we suffer future generations will also suffer.