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There were 3315 stories about the proposed $5b NewsCorp takover of Dow Jones in May 2007. The graph above shows stories of “takeover” theme (left) versus “ïntegrity” theme on the right.

What does Murdoch currently own? Well knowns right across the media spectrum - incl Fox, Harper Collins publishers, MySpace (!), NY Post, extensive list goes on.

Is this huge number of stories and reports just media interest and obsession with itself as a medium? or genuine concern on the loss of media channel diversity (currently very slim as it is) or whether or not Murdoch would preserve the respected WSJ, would “his track record mesh with the Journals reputation and tradition.”

I believe the first suggestion is the most accurate - the flow on effects from this transaction would most likely have an impact on various media outlets to some degree and if not a tangible impact they are sure to at least have some intangible impact such as feelings that this is further decreasing the number of diverse channels avaliable to shape pubic opinion and education. Others generating these 3315 stories - writing for a publication, citizen journalists, bloggers, etc no doubt are interested also for the latter rationale above, it is not ideal to see the continual merge of media globally -many people correlating this with journalistic decline - for the lack of varying opinions and channels as well as continual cost and resource cutting. Can Rupert Murdoch pass the stink test?

People turn to media for information and to form opinions - keeping up to date with events, issues, developments, warnings, some would say almost all of what we know and learn external to our own daily lives. Scholars have identified areas of concern (researched through political campaign media communications) as regards the media’s delivering of subjective information to the public, most of which are relevant on a general basis.

1. Emphasis on sensationalism
2. The Shrinking Soundbite
3. An emphasis on image over issues
4. A focus on the negative
5. Media narcissism and meta communication

Berelson in the 1960’s - “It is essential in a democratic society that citizens have access to information in order to make informed decisions that enable self governance.”

Even earlier, Edmund Burke in late 18th century England - Media labelled the “Fourth Estate”, based on the idea that press should have equal political power with the Lords, the Church and the Commons.

“Social responsibility theory” - Media serve to inform, entertain, sell, and “most importantly raise conflict to the plane of public awareness”. This theory differs from the three other press theories Authoritarian, Libertarian and Soviet Totalitarian in that it must fulfil the obligation of delivering info to the public and if they don’t someone must ensure they do.

Im not sure if I really have a point from the jump from the proliferation of NewsCorp Media to here. If I did, it would be something along the lines of - if media was serving solely to inform (SRI theory) there are a vast number of critical issues globally that would be a lot better slotted in and assigned some of the column width taken up by the 3315 NewsCorp stories in May.

White (1950) and Schneider (1967) looked at how editors, “gatekeepers” selected and shaped messages in the newsroom. This research found that editorial decisions are based on 1) “Newsworthiness” (I will get into this more another time…) 2) Organisational Norms and 3) Space Constraints.

I think its a frightening fact that the information we have access to to make informed decisions (Berelson) and that shapes our world is controlled by these gatekeepers who make the decisions based on their own personal subjective idea of what is newsworthy and what isn’t. To go even deeper, they not only select it but then write it up, shape it, massage it with full control over what we do or don’t see.

Infotainment. Tabloidisation. Sensationalism. These are all supposedly a result of breakdown of gatekeeping in the media Shaw (1994). Im not sure it could ever have been, or will be an ideal situation anyway. The solution, if you thought I was getting to that, I think can only be the building of awareness of how things are. who owns. vested interests.

Or just quite simply, grain of salt.