Curran – liberal free press
- The market based press is independent because it owes allegiance only to the public
- Wartime regulation was blamed for preventing new publications from springing up to make changes in public demand
- The assumption that ‘anyone’ is free to start a new paper has been an illusion ever since the industrialisation of the press
- The emergence of sub regional monopolies in which all or nearly all in ‘competing’ local morning, evening and weekly papers were owned by the same group
- They drew attention to four underlying problems. High entry costs render the press less accountable; the growth of chain ownerships limits press diversity; wider businesses entanglements weaken the press’s claims to disinterest; and the recurrence of market failure undermines those processes which are said
3 types of media ownership
Capitalist media – owned by corporations
Public service media – in the public interest to help inform
Civil society media – citizen control and independent (Hospital Radio)