Ben Compaine's Who Owns the Media?

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94349692009-12-19T05:23:02.128-05:00Ben Compaine's Who Owns the Media?This forum is about media ownership and competition. They are two sides of the coin. As more competition is generally viewed as better than less, I favor speaking about the degree of competition in the media industry.Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-20551491548206065962009-01-10T22:23:00.011-05:002009-01-10T22:42:09.174-05:00Google Trends suggests that interest in media ownership on decline, especially compared to the economy

How important is the subject of media ownership? As with so many questions, the answer is, relative to what? And to whom?Google not only answers our questions, such as “Who owns the media?”, but thanks to its scale of use, can also tell us what users are concerned about. Google keeps track of the more than 31 billion searches made through it facility each month. And thanks to a wonderful tool it

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-46067341229936500792008-08-08T15:43:00.003-04:002008-08-08T15:55:43.938-04:00Matt Welch takes media reformistas to task for hypocrisy

Matt Welch, in a post at Reason, pinpoints the hypocrisy of the media reformistas movement. Given what Welch documents they are on the record as lamenting—-the faceless corporate control of newspapers, the cost-cutting pressures that come with being a publicly traded newspaper company, the lack of local ownership (and concern with local affairs that comes with it) and, above all, the trend of

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-62935648015259753662008-03-28T16:13:00.011-04:002008-11-15T08:26:35.294-05:00It took too long, but Justice understood Sirius-XM market perfectly

A few months back I was visiting with my sister-in-law in Western Missouri. I offered to tag along as she drove for a few errands. I also wanted to get a feel for her spanking new Hyundai. While waiting in the car I fiddled with the radio that included an XM Satellite Radio. I couldn’t tune in anything except the conventional local stations. As we continued on to the next stop I ask her why

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-18633240935900086622008-03-21T17:35:00.016-04:002008-11-15T08:26:35.446-05:00Why Cable Prices Seem To have Increased So Rapidly

When a candy bar manufacturer has higher costs it can raise prices by giving less. The 3 ounce bar becomes the 2.75 ounce bar. This in effect is an 8% price increase. But the increase is not as painful because our expenditure stays constant.The print media can do the same to a point. They can reduce the news hole (ratio of editorial content to advertising), even reduce the number of pages, while

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-77709332709425221522008-01-31T22:42:00.000-05:002008-01-31T22:50:32.628-05:00Is it a "Confidential" or "Free and Open" Society?

Though a bit off-topic from the usual subject matter of this Blog, I couldn’t resist highlighting the following statement from Martha K. Levin, executive vice president and publisher of the Free Press, which published James Risen’s 2006 book, State of War. Mr. Risen, a reporter for The New York Times, was issued a subpoena by a federal grand jury apparently to try to force him to reveal his

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-9213223209782304632008-01-03T12:44:00.000-05:002008-01-07T21:32:10.953-05:00Retiring WSJ Managing Editor Says High Profits Created Newspaper Industry’s “Golden Age”

Today is the last day on the job for Paul Steiger, who has been the managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, for the past 16 years. That’s an impressive run by any standard. Last Saturday the Journal published his valedictory on the front page under the headline “Read All About It: How newspapers got into such a fix, and where they go from here.” (Sub. still required) It is a marvelous

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-77993604101172179802007-11-09T16:34:00.001-05:002008-04-03T22:13:46.810-04:00Senate's Media Ownership Crusade: Ignores Research, Will Have Unintended Consequences

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Senate’s latest misguided efforts to prevent the Federal Communications Commission from doing its job is the ignorance—or worse—ignoring— by the Senators of the solid data available to guide it. In a hearing on November 8 on "Localism, Diversity, and Media Ownership," the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation loaded up the

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-24224063867661498642007-11-01T12:30:00.000-04:002007-11-01T16:26:16.799-04:00Slate's Shafer "Defends" Murdoch. But it's Really About Encouraging Choice and Diversity

Jack Shafer, who authors the Pressbox column for Slate, wrote “In Defense of Rupert Murdoch” last Friday that Murdoch is “not as bad as some people make him out to be—people like Federal Communications Commission member Michael J. Copps.” In an open letter to the FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Copps says that in buying Dow Jones, “For residents of the local New York metropolitan area, it will also

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-40533387547562659132007-10-03T10:59:00.000-04:002007-10-17T11:59:26.626-04:00WOTM FAQ #4: Is the debate about media concentration you are having with other scholars fun and stimulating?

A FAQ series featuring some real questions I have answered from time to time.It’s been awhile since I last added to my FAQ. The above is based on the opening line of a recent email I received from a graduate student. Following is my response.I can assure you that the subject of media competition and its effects is not a simple academic debate among scholars. This is a high stakes issue. The

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-89313161846880378132007-07-13T11:39:00.000-04:002007-08-31T18:08:30.845-04:00News Corp. as an acquirer is limited by family ownership

While the outcome of News Corporation’s audacious bid to acquire Dows Jones continues to percolate, it might also be timely to look at News Corp. as an acquirer of media companies over time. Despite the image perpetrated by the company’s vocal detractors, News Corp is actually one of the few large media companies that has been much more of a creator and builder of media outlets than an acquirer

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-46949863568937794472007-04-06T15:58:00.000-04:002008-11-15T08:26:35.839-05:00Flow chart and new ad data reinforces competition and fragmentation in the media industry

I posted an entry today at the Rebuilding Media site which was primarily focused on media strategy. Figure 1However, I can use much the same data to further bolster the point that the media industry today is far more open and competitive than ever. Although Figures 1 and 2, originally created by Winnipeg-based Ken Goldstein of Communications Management, repurposed here,

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-15981907027406138602007-03-02T09:55:00.000-05:002007-04-06T17:54:04.429-04:00Media “Monopoly” as seen from the real world

You don't have to be an economist to intuitively know that close substitutes can act as very effective competition. Remember pop in glass bottles? When the only choice for diapers was to wash poopie cloth? When television news meant three broadcast networks? When music had to be distributed on vinyl? The media debate du jour is whether a merger of two satellite radio providers, Sirius and XM

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-39720528378429793282007-02-20T08:15:00.000-05:002007-10-09T10:38:57.966-04:00Sirius/XM Merger Proposal: The two sides of the pancake.

The two satellite radio providers, XM and Sirius, announced a proposed merger yesterday. The FCC, which must approve such a combination, quite reasonably went on record as having reservations. Chairman Kevin Martin added that “the hurdle here, however, would be high as the commission originally prohibited one company from holding the only two satellite radio licenses." What’s reasonable here? On

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-74278460833343589162007-02-09T11:29:00.000-05:002007-02-15T21:40:08.533-05:00Columbia Forum Yields No Answers But Highlights Ambiguities on Media Ownership Issue

The mini-symposium at Columbia Journalism School yesterday on Media Reform: Is it Good for Journalism? was barely a toe-in-the-water event. Still, for anyone who was seriously interested in both sides of the pancake of the so-called media reform debate, it provided more grist for the mill than the three day one dimensional pep rally that the movement holds annually, mostly recently last month in

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-36659701206750346682007-02-07T21:53:00.000-05:002007-03-11T22:02:39.534-04:00What Media Consolidation? Whose Quality Journalism? Response Below

I was asked by a documentary film maker if I would agree to be interviewed for a film on the media ownership issue, specifically the FCC hearings that are being held around the country. I was asked:Our major focus is how consolidation affects journalism. Is quality journalism declining, morphing, getting better? Does it have any affect at all? My response follows:Well, I remain a bit hesitant.

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-30071313949614826982007-02-02T17:55:00.001-05:002007-02-02T18:14:07.227-05:00“Media Reform: Is It Good for Journalism?” at Columbia J-School Feb 8

I will be a participant at Columbia University’s School of Journalism mini-conference next Thursday, Feb 8 it’s labeling “Media Reform: Is It Good for Journalism?” The keynote speaker is Walter Cronkite. (See Slate’s Jack Shafer on “media reform.”) The latest information is that there will be two panels. I will be part of one, on Media Competition (they call it media concentration), which

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-75800640625626379692007-01-11T14:38:00.000-05:002007-01-11T16:14:07.245-05:00Slate Further Questions the Minot-Clear Channel Urban Legend

Back in June 2005 I wrote about the Urban Legend that was growing up about the events surrounding a toxic gas spill in the area of Minot, ND and the supposed lack of responsiveness of the six radio stations owned by Clear Channel Communications in Minot. The media reform (sic) movement has used this story as the poster child for all that they claim is wrong about the state of media ownership in

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1163645253586068902006-11-15T21:40:00.000-05:002006-11-15T21:50:42.126-05:00"Media Tracker" a useful tool for identifying media competitors by locality

A useful research tool has been relaunched by the Center for Public Integrity as part of its Telecom and Media Ownership Project. Dubbed Media Tracker, it’s an enhanced data base that identifies media outlets in any geographic area as well as the ownership of each outlet. The data base includes newspapers, television, radio, cable and broadband providers.So, for example, if you want to see the

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1163100492303401112006-11-09T14:22:00.000-05:002007-04-12T22:29:26.144-04:00NSF-Funded Study Finds Newspaper “Slant” Comes from Readers, Not from Owner

Once again, does ownership matter? A new, comprehensive, methodically unbiased study from two academic economists asks the question: “What Drives Media Slant?” Using robust statistical tools and a novel approach to measure “slant,” this National Science Foundation-funded study found that the largest single variable is that “Firms respond strongly to consumer preferences.” That is, to the extent

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1159475365231978132006-09-28T16:29:00.000-04:002006-09-29T12:07:15.540-04:00Cutting profit margins for newspapers only a short term fix

Cutting “expected” profit margins for newspapers will not prevent long term downsizing of newspaper expenses.In a post I made today at Rebuilding Media I talk about the inevitability of downsizing at newspapers. I suggest you read that before continuing here, though it’s not necessary.There is no doubt that newspapers need to downsize to reflect both their shrinking circulation and their stagnant

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1156973915496674312006-08-30T17:38:00.000-04:002006-08-30T17:58:52.393-04:00FCC Pursues New (Yawn) Ownership Rules. Does Anyone Who Matters Care?

As the FCC gears up for a new stab at concocting media ownership limits, the big media companies are continuing to downsize, resize, divest and diversify. To a great extent they look out over the highly competitive media landscape and do not see the FCC being as relevant to their future as many of the high profile media bashing critics seem to believe.The break up of Knight-Ridder, the second

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1150907218375269572006-06-21T12:26:00.000-04:002006-06-21T12:38:50.353-04:00Big Media Critics Needn't Worry so Much

Alan Murray, who writes on politics for The Wall Street Journal, has a column (page 2) today with the above headline. I’d like to run the whole thing here, as some readers of this Blog may not subscribe to the print or online version of the Journal (though I have stated many times that an online subscription is one of the best uses I can think of for $50 so long as you have lunch money set aside)

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1148576244099002852006-05-25T12:57:00.000-04:002007-04-27T18:20:25.928-04:00Local Ownership for Philadelphia Newspapers Not Necessarily Good News-- Nor Bad News

That faction of the universe that holds that big media conglomerates are bad for journalism should take no comfort in the announcement Tuesday that a group of Philadelphia investors will buy The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News from McClatchy, flipping it from the Knight-Ridder acquisition. The event is, by itself, neither positive nor negative.In some quarters there is a nostalgia for “local

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1146789287040648002006-05-04T20:34:00.000-04:002007-03-02T22:44:56.165-05:00"Trust in Media" survey adds to data that no firms dominate U.S. news media

The “Trust in Media” survey conducted by the BBC, Reuters and the Media Center released today has something in it for almost anyone. It found that the media were trusted a bit more than governments, Fox News was the most trusted news source in the U.S. Al Jazeera most trusted in the Middle East and the BBC (surprise?) most trusted globally. Blogs, says the report, are the least trusted form of

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9434969.post-1142649810099720042006-03-17T21:43:00.000-05:002008-01-02T21:55:52.928-05:00This week's FCC fines for indecent content of TV broadcasters just a cost of doing business

You may have seen on Wednesday that the FCC fined CBS as well as some local broadcasters a total of about $4 million for violations of decency standards. This included instances of violence as well as impermissible sex.Though the headlines were about the fines, the broader subtext is about equity: First Amendment equity. The larger issue is the double standard that is applied to broadcast

Ben Compainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09063871802006721989noreply@blogger.com0