Re: : Markets and Diversity

[Doug Henwood <dhenwood@xxxxxxxxx>]

Justin Schwartz wrote:

> > Bourdieu argues in his book On Television
> > <http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Why_TV_sucks.html> that
> > competition produces sameness, not diversity.
> >
> > Doug
>
> What's his reasoning? Or is it just an observation? I would expect
> it to depend on the circumstances. jks

I quote some of it in my review, but basically his point is that the
disciplines imposed by competition for audience and profit
maximization force broadcasters to dumb down content, make it
superficially sensational but ultimately conventional, and avoid
anything that might turn away listeners or viewers. He emphasized
this rather than concentration of ownership, an analysis he regarded
as superficial.

Speaking of superficial analyses, I recommend a listen to Mark
Crispin Miller's dreadful demo tape, "Queen of the Forest"
<http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/MCMillerQueen.mp3>. "Say goodbye
to your animal friends..." If this is the kind of media Miller wants,
I think I prefer Rupert Murdoch.

Doug