Dispersal of ownership

Dispersal of ownership (also ownership dispersal, dispersed media ownership) is a standpoint that opposes concentration of media ownership and mergers of media conglomerates. This position generally advocates smaller and local ownership of media as a way to realize journalistic values and inclusive media public sphere in the society.

Media ownership concentration is a state that fewer individuals or organizations control many and various media entities. For decades this consolidation of media ownership has been progressive and also controversial in the United States. Recent study shows that many media industries in many areas and countries are highly concentrated and dominated by a very small number of firms. Such media conglomerates own large numbers of companies in various media domains, such as television, radio, publishing, movies, and the Internet. For example, the Walt Disney Company, the largest media conglomerate in the United States in terms of revenue, owns the ABC television network, cable channels (for example, ESPN, Disney Channels Worldwide, and ABC Family), and eight television stations. Moreover, they have radio stations such as ESPN Radio, and publishers like Marvel Comics.

One of the most prominent critics on this issue, Robert W. McChesney points out that these media conglomerates can have a strong and harmful impact on media culture. According to him, media giants are most likely to be politically conservative, because they usually take advantage of current social structure, and “any upheaval in property or social relations, particularly to the extent that it reduces the power of business, is not in their interest”. He warns possible lack of views that can oppose current societal structure.

Other criticism comes from the aspects of mass media as business activities. U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner, Michael J. Copps criticize concentrating and highly commercializing media ownership by mentioning that “when TV and radio stations are not longer required by law to serve their local communities and are owned by huge national corporations, viewers and listeners have become the products that broadcasters sell to advertisers.”

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