Jump to content

Media conglomerate

Checked
Page protected with pending changes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Media conglomorate)

A media conglomerate, media company, media group, or media institution is a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as music, television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, video games, theme parks, or the Internet. The weekly magazine The Nation commented, "Media conglomerates strive for policies that facilitate their control of the markets around the world."[1]

Terminology

[edit]

A conglomerate is a large company composed of a number of companies (subsidiaries) engaged in generally unrelated businesses.

Some media conglomerates use their access in multiple areas to share various kinds of content such as: news, video and music, between users. The media sector's tendency to consolidate has caused formerly diversified companies to appear less diverse to prospective investors in comparison with similar companies that are traded publicly and privately. Therefore, the term media group may also be applied, however, it has not yet replaced the more traditional term.[2]

Criticism

[edit]

Critics have accused the large media conglomerates of dominating the media and using unfair practices. During a protest in November 2007, critics such as Jesse Jackson spoke out against consolidation of the media.[3] This can be seen in the news industry, where corporations refuse to publicize information that would be harmful to their interests. Because some corporations do not publish any material that criticizes them or their interests, media conglomerates have been criticized for limiting free speech or not protecting free speech.[4] These practices are also suspected of contributing to the merging of entertainment and news (sensationalism[5]) at the expense of the coverage of serious issues. They are also accused of being a leading force behind the standardization of culture (see globalization,[4] Americanization) and are frequently criticized by groups that perceive news organizations as being biased toward special interests of the owners.[4]

Because there are fewer independent media, there is less diversity in news and entertainment and therefore less competition. This can result in the reduction of different points of view as well as vocalization about different issues.[6] There is also a lack of ethnic and gender diversity as a majority of those in media are white, middle-class men.[7][8][9] There is a concern that their views are being shared disproportionately more than other groups, such as women and ethnic minorities.[10] Women and minorities also have less ownership of media.[10] Women have less than 7 percent of TV and radio licenses, and minorities have around 7 percent of radio licenses and 3 percent of TV licenses.[11]

Examples by country

[edit]

In the 2024 Forbes Global 2000 list, Comcast is the United States' largest media conglomerate, in terms of revenue, with The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, & Paramount Global completing the top four.[12]

In 1984, fifty independent media companies owned the majority of media interests within the United States. By 2011, 90% of the United States's media was controlled by six media conglomerates: GE/Comcast (NBC, Universal), News Corp (Fox News, Wall Street Journal, New York Post), Disney (ABC, ESPN, Pixar), Viacom (MTV, BET, Paramount Pictures), Time Warner (CNN, HBO, Warner Bros.), and CBS (Showtime, NFL.com).[13][14]

Between 1941 and 1975, several laws that restricted channel ownership within radio and television were enacted in order to maintain unbiased and diverse media. However under the Reagan administration, Congress and the Federal Communications Commission, then led by FCC Chairman Mark S. Fowler, began a concerted deregulation over the years 1981 and 1985. The number of television stations a single entity can own increased from seven to 12 stations.[citation needed]

The industry continued to deregulate with enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Signed by President Bill Clinton on 8 February 1996, it was considered by the FCC to be the "first major overhaul of telecommunications law in almost 62 years".[15] In the radio industry, the 40-station ownership cap was lifted, leading to an unprecedented amount of consolidation. Since this period, IHeartMedia grew from 40 stations to 1200 stations, in all 50 states, while Viacom grew to owning 180 stations across 41 markets.[citation needed]

As media consolidation grew, some in the nation began to speculate how it might negatively impact society at large. In the case of Minot, North Dakota,[16] the concerns regarding media consolidation is realized. On 18 January 2002, a train containing hazardous chemicals derailed in the middle of the night, exposing countless Minot residents to toxic waste. Upon trying to get out an emergency broadcast, the Minot police were unable to reach anyone. They were instead forwarded to the same automated message, as all the broadcast stations in Minot were single-handedly owned by IHeartMedia. As the FCC reviews media ownership rules, broadcasters continued to petition it for the elimination of all rules, while those who are against this easing would often cite the incident in Minot as how consolidation could be harmful.[citation needed]

Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and New Zealand[17] also experience the concentration of multiple media enterprises in a few companies. This concentration is an ongoing concern for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Philippine National Telecommunications Commission, and New Zealand's Broadcasting Standards Authority. Other countries that have large media conglomerates with impacts on the world include: Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, China, Mexico and Brazil. Media conglomerates outside of the United States include Fujisankei Communications Group (Fuji Television), Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings, Hubert Burda Media, ITV, ProSiebenSat.1, Mediaset, Axel Springer, JCDecaux, China Central Television, Alibaba Group, ABS-CBN Corporation, GMA Network, MediaQuest Holdings, Radio Philippines Network, Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Advanced Media Broadcasting System, People's Television Network, Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation, Presidential Broadcast Service, Viva Communications, Prasar Bharati, The Asahi Shimbun, Grupo Televisa, TV Azteca, Grupo Imagen, Grupo Globo, Baidu, GMM Grammy and Bertelsmann.[18]

United States

[edit]
The Walt Disney Company Comcast Warner Bros. Discovery Paramount Global Access Industries[19] Hasbro Amazon
Movie production Walt Disney Studios NBCUniversal Film and Entertainment Warner Bros. Pictures Group Paramount Pictures Corporation AI Film (UK), RatPac-Dune Entertainment (controlling stake[20]), Access Entertainment (US) Hasbro Entertainment Amazon MGM Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
TV production Disney TV Studios, It's a Laugh Productions, Disney TV Animation, FX Productions, Freeform Studios Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, DWA Television WB TV Studios, WB Animation, WBITVP, Cartoon Network Studios, Discovery Studios Nickelodeon Animation Studio, CBS Studios Amedia (majority stake[21]) (RU) Hasbro Entertainment Amazon MGM Studios, MGM Television
Broadcast TV network ABC, Localish (US); RTL Zwei (15.75% DE), NOW (TR) NBC, Cozi TV, Sky,
Telemundo, TeleXitos
The CW (12.5%), Three (NZ), Eden (NZ), Living (NZ) CBS, The CW (12.5%), Channel 5 (UK), Telefe (AR), Network 10 (AU), Chilevisión (CL) RGE Group (33%[22]) (IL)
Cable channels Disney Channels, UTV net, A&E Networks (50%), Fox Nets Group, Freeform, FX Networks, NatGeo Net (73%) NBCUniversal Cable, Sky TBS, TNT, TruTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, HBO, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, TLC, Discovery Family (60%), Warner Bros. Discovery International Paramount Media Networks, Paramount International Networks, BET Media Group Discovery Family (40%) MGM+
News, business channels/
operations
ABC News, ABC News Radio NBCUniversal News Group, Sky News CNN, HLN CBS News, CBS News streaming service
National sports networks/
operations
ESPN Inc. (80%) NBC Sports Group, Sky Sports, NHL Network (15.6%) TNT Sports, MLB Network (16%), NBA TV, Eurosport (Europe), DSport (India), Play Sports Group (71%, U.K.) CBS Sports Sports Channel (IL)
Audio
industry
ABC Audio, Disney Music Group, Marvel New Media, Radio Disney Networks Back Lot Music WaterTower Music, Williams Street Records Paramount Music Warner Music Group
Publishing Marvel Comics, National Geographic (73%), Disney Publishing Worldwide DC Comics, MAD Magazine, Golf Digest, Golf World; Motor Trend Group (joint-venture) Amazon Publishing, Kindle Direct Publishing
OTT Disney+ (Star; Hotstar, Star+), Hulu, ESPN+, Marvel Unlimited (Comics) Peacock, Now, Sky Go, Xumo Max, Boomerang, DC Universe Infinite (Comics), Discovery+, GolfTV Paramount+, Pluto TV, BET+, Noggin, Showtime DAZN (85%[23][24]) Amazon Prime Video, Freevee, Amazon Music, Twitch (Gaming), ComiXology (Comics)
Internet Fandango (70%) Rooster Teeth, Fandango (30%) MTV New Media Deezer Box Office Mojo, IMDb
Telecommunications Xfinity, Sky Broadband ICE Group
Video games Disney Games and Interactive Experiences, Marvel Games, Lucasfilm Games Universal Brand Development Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Rooster Teeth Games, Adult Swim Games Paramount Digital Entertainment Archetype Entertainment, Invoke Studios Amazon Games, Amazon Digital Game Store
Total Revenues US$88.9Billion (2023) NBCUniversal: US$39.2 billion (2022) US$41.3 billion (2023)[25] US$29.65 billion (2023) US$17 Billion US$4.7 Billion[26]

International

[edit]
Sony (Japan) Bertelsmann (Germany) Vivendi (France) Liberty Global (UK/US/NL) Turkuvaz Media Group (TR/EU/US) Essel Group (India) CT Corp (Indonesia) Televisa (Mexico) Grupo Globo (Brazil) TV Azteca (Mexico) Grupo Imagen (Mexico) ABS-CBN Corporation (Philippines) The Times Group (India) PLDT (Philippines) Viva Communications (Philippines) GMA Network Inc. (Philippines) GMM Grammy (Thailand) MBC Media Group (Philippines) CJ Group (South Korea)
Movie production Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, PlayStation Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan (Japan) UFA StudioCanal (FR) Lionsgate Films (US, 3.5%) Sinehane (TR) Zee Studios Transinema Pictures Videocine Globo Filmes Azteca Cinema Star Cinema Mirchi Movies Limited, Junglee Pictures Limited Cignal Entertainment Viva Films GMA Pictures GDH 559 CJ Entertainment, CJ ENM Studios
TV production Sony Pictures Television (US) Fremantle (UK) Red Production Company (UK), TANDEM Productions (GR) All3Media (UK, 50%), Lionsgate Television (US, 3.5%) Atv (Turkish Tv Channel Essel Vision Productions Estúdios Globo Azteca Estudios ABS-CBN Studios, Dreamscape Entertainment, Star Creatives Television, RCD Narratives, RGE Drama Unit, RSB Scripted Format Metropolitan Media Company Limited Viva Television GMA Entertainment Group GMMTV, GMM Bravo MBC TV CJ ENM, Studio Dragon (Culture Depot, GT:st, Gill Pictures, Hwa&Dam Pictures, KPJ Corporation), JS Pictures, Fifth Season (US, 55%)
Broadcast TV network Get (US) Buzzr (US)
RTL Group (LU)
Canal+ Group Telenet (BE, 58%), Ziggo (NL, 50%), ITV plc (UK, minority), Virgin Media Television (IRL) Zee Media Corporation, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Trans TV, Trans7 Las Estrellas, Canal 5, Canal 9, FOROtv TV Globo Azteca 7, Azteca Uno, ADN 40, A Más Imagen Televisión ABS-CBN (content provider), A2Z (blocktime with ZOE Broadcasting Network), TV5 (entertainment production partner), Knowledge Channel, PIE (co-owned with BEAM TV), GMA (entertainment production partner), All TV (entertainment production partner) Times Global Broadcasting and Zoom Entertainment Network TV5, RPTV (50%) TV5 (entertainment production partner) GMA, GTV, Heart of Asia Channel, I Heart Movies, Hallypop (under Jungo TV), Pinoy Hits GMM 25, One 31
Cable channels Sony Pictures Television Networks Televisa Networks Canais Globo, Globo Internacional TV Azteca Internacional TV de Paga Kapamilya Channel, Cine Mo!, Creative Programs, ABS-CBN Global Ltd. Times Music, Movies Now, Romedy Now PBA Rush, Sari-Sari Channel (50%), Pilipinas Global Network Ltd. PBO, Viva Cinema, Sari-Sari Channel (50%), TMC: Tagalized Movie Channel, History, Crime & Investigation Network, Lifetime, Celestial Movies Pinoy GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, GMA News TV GMM Z DZRHTV Mnet, tvN, tvN Drama (formerly OtvN), tvN Show (formerly XTM and XtvN), tvN Story (formerly OnStyle), tvN Movies, OCN, CATCHON, Chunghwa TV, Tooniverse, DIA TV, UXN
News, business channels/
operations
CNews Zee News CNN Indonesia (franchise), CNBC Indonesia (franchise) Noticieros Televisa GloboNews Azteca Noticias Excélsior TV ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, ABS-CBN News Channel, TeleRadyo Serbisyo (co-owned with Prime Media Holdings) ET Now, Lead India, Mirror Now, Times Now News5, One News, One PH GMA Integrated News, GMA Public Affairs DZRH News Television
National sports networks/
operations
Sports Channel (IL) Canal Sport Ziggo Sport (NL, 50%) Golf Channel Indonesia (JV), Golf+ Televisa Deportes, TUDN SporTV Azteca Deportes One Sports, One Sports (TV channel), One Sports+ GMA Sports tvN Sports
Audio
industry
Sony Music Group (US), EMI Music Publishing (UK), Sony Music Entertainment Japan (Japan) BMG Zee Music Company Trans Talent Management Som Livre (former) Imagen Radio MOR Entertainment, MyxRadio, Star Music, One Music PH, DWPM (co-owned with Prime Media Holdings) Zoom, Radio Mirchi Radyo5 Viva Records, Halo-Halo Radio, Vicor Music, Ivory Music and Video GMA Music (GMA Playlist, AltG Records), Super Radyo, Barangay FM Chill FM Online, EFM 94, Green Wave 106.5 FM, Hot 91.5 DZRH, Love Radio, Easy Rock Network, Yes FM, Aksyon Radyo, Radyo Natin Stone Music Entertainment, Wake One Entertainment, AOMG
Publishing Gruner + Jahr, Penguin Random House (US, UK 53%), Bertelsmann Printing Group Prisma Press, Editis Editorial Televisa, Intermex Editora Globo Excélsior ABS-CBN Publishing The Times of India, The Economic Times, Navbharat Times, The Illustrated Weekly of India The Philippine Star (51%), BusinessWorld (70%) Viva Books Publishing Inc. Image, Madame Figaro Magazine, In Magazine
OTT Crunchyroll Videoland (Netherlands) ZEE5 VIX Globoplay iWantTFC Gaana, MX Player Cignal Play Vivamax GMA On Demand TVING (48.85%)
Internet Dailymotion playwin detik Network Comercio Más, Televisa Digital, Televisa Interactive Media Globo.com Azteca Internet Imagen Digital ABS-CBN Digital Media, Kapamilya Online Live, ABS-CBNnews.com BoxTV.com, CricBuzz, TimesJobs, SimplyMarry, MagicBricks, ZigWheels GMA New Media, GMANetwork.com, Kapuso Stream, GMA News Online MBC Digital CJ ENM Digital
Telecommunications So-net UPC Broadband (Europe), Virgin Media (UK), Telenet (Belgium) (58%), Vodafone Netherlands (50%) Izzi Telecom and Sky Mexico ABS-CBN Convergence (68%), Sky Cable Corporation (59.4%) PLDT, Smart, TNT, Cignal TV
Video games Sony Interactive Entertainment, Unties Gameloft ABS-CBN Digital Media GMA New Media MBC Digital
2023 Revenues Sony Entertainment: US$15.1 billion[27][28][29] US$20.30 billion €16.02 billion US$12 billion US$110 million Trans Corp: US$207.6 million US$4.81 billion[30] US$4.4 billion US$390 million US$760 million US$1.5 billion (2016)[31] US$3,381 million US$391 million US$204.44 million US$19.6 million US$2.31 million

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Moglen, Eben; Pertschuck, Michael; Sherman, Scott (1999). "Editorials". The Nation. Vol. 269, no. 18. p. 12. ISSN 0027-8378.
  2. ^ "A distinction between Business Groups and Conglomerates:The Limited Liability Effect". SSRN Electronic Journal 01/2009; DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.134299. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Critics Turn Out To Protest Media Consolidation". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. 1 November 2007. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Stoll, Mary Lyn (June 2006). "Infotainment and the Moral Obligations of the Multimedia Conglomerate". Journal of Business Ethics. 66 (2–3): 253–260. doi:10.1007/s10551-005-5590-2. S2CID 153666046.
  5. ^ Kenix, Linda Jean. "Independent Websites Not So Different from Group-Owned". Newspaper Research Journal. 35 (2).
  6. ^ Shah, Anup. "Media Conglomerates, Mergers, Concentration of Ownership". Global Issues. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Diversity in Media Ownership". Free Press. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  8. ^ "The Abysmal State of Media Ownership Diversity in America". The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  9. ^ Beresteanu, Arie; Ellickson, Paul B. "Minority and Female Ownership in Media Enterprises" (PDF). docs.fcc.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  10. ^ a b Gamson, Joshua; Latteier, Pearl (Summer 2004). "Do media monsters devour diversity?". Contexts. 3 (3). American Sociological Association: 26–32. doi:10.1525/ctx.2004.3.3.26. S2CID 62715815. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022. Studies routinely find that the individuals appearing in mass media are disproportionately white, middle-class men between the ages of 20 and 60. ... the rapid consolidation of deregulated media companies makes it even less likely that companies and stations will be minority-owned today.
  11. ^ "Diversity in Media Ownership". Free Press. Archived from the original on 22 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  12. ^ Kochkodin, Brandon. "The World's Largest Media Companies 2024: Disney, Charter Communications And Warner Bros. Discovery All Fall". Forbes. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  13. ^ Lutz, Ashley (14 June 2012). "These 6 Corporations Control 90% of the Media in America". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Timeline". Moyers on America. PBS. 2006. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Telecommunications Act of 1986". Federal Communications Commission. FCC. 20 June 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  16. ^ Fisher, Marc. "Sounds Familiar for a Reason". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  17. ^ Hope, Wayne; Myllylahti, Merja. "Financialisation of Media Ownership in New Zealand". New Zealand Sociology. 28 (3).
  18. ^ O'Reilly, Lara. "The 30 Biggest Media Companies in the World". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  19. ^ "Holdings by Industry". AccessIndustries.com. Access Industries. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  20. ^ Hipes, Patrick (18 April 2017). "Len Blavatnik's Access Acquires RatPac Entertainment Stake". Deadline. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Amedia". Access Industries. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  22. ^ "Blavatnik Increases Stake in RGE Media Group". Haaretz. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  23. ^ Williams, Christopher (20 August 2016). "Blavatnik's Perform Group rebuffs tech investors to build 'Netflix for sport'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  24. ^ "Perform | Access Industries". Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  25. ^ "Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Reports Fourth-Quarter 2023 Earnings Results" (PDF). Warner Bros. Discovery. 3 September 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Hasbro's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and Acquisitions". owler.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  27. ^ "Sony Pictures's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and Acquisitions". owler.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  28. ^ "Sony/ATV's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and Acquisitions". owler.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  29. ^ "Sony Music's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and Acquisitions". owler.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  30. ^ "Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (TV)". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  31. ^ "The BCCL empire—towering over the competition". www.thehoot.org/. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.