Media Ownership Power Map – AQA A Level Sociology Revision Activity

Media ownership matters because those who own and fund media organisations may have the power to influence what is produced, which stories are prioritised, whose voices are heard and how events are represented. In AQA A-level Sociology, ownership and control of the media is often linked to debates between pluralists, Marxists, neo-Marxists and postmodernists. Pluralists argue that audiences have choice and media owners must respond to demand. Marxists argue that concentrated ownership allows powerful groups to spread ruling-class ideology. Neo-Marxists suggest journalists may have some independence, but still work within professional routines, commercial pressures and organisational limits. More recently, sociologists have also examined the power of global corporations, streaming platforms, social media companies and algorithms.

In this activity, students use a Media Ownership Power Map to classify examples of ownership and control. For each scenario, they identify the ownership pattern, the route through which power is exercised, and the sociological interpretation that best explains it. The activity helps students connect key concepts such as concentration of ownership, conglomerates, vertical integration, advertising, agenda-setting, algorithms and ideology to exam-style analysis and evaluation.

Media Ownership Power Map

Trace how media ownership can become media power: who owns, how they influence content, and what this means for society.

Task: For each scenario, make three decisions. Identify the ownership pattern, identify the route through which control is exercised, and choose the sociological interpretation that best explains the example.

This activity helps you connect ownership and control to key AQA Media debates about power, ideology, audience choice, agenda-setting and the influence of large media corporations.

The power map

1

Ownership pattern
Who owns the media and how concentrated is that ownership?

2

Route to control
How might owners, advertisers, editors or algorithms shape content?

3

Social impact
Whose views are promoted, ignored, challenged or made profitable?

4

Theory link
Does this support a pluralist, Marxist, neo-Marxist or postmodern view?

Open key terms guide before you begin

Concentrated ownership A small number of companies or individuals own a large share of media organisations.

Conglomerate A large company owns businesses across different industries or different types of media.

Horizontal integration A company owns several organisations at the same stage of production, such as several newspapers or TV channels.

Vertical integration A company controls several stages of production, distribution and consumption.

Agenda-setting Media organisations influence which issues are seen as important by giving them more coverage.

Ideology A set of ideas or values that can make inequality, capitalism or powerful groups seem normal or natural.

Advertising influence Media content may be shaped by the need to attract advertisers and avoid upsetting commercial sponsors.

Algorithmic control Platforms influence visibility through recommendation systems, ranking and data-driven targeting.

Pluralism The view that audiences have choice and media producers must compete to satisfy audience demand.

Power map score

Complete the dropdowns, then check your answers.

0 / 36

Exam practice after the activity

Choose one scenario and turn it into a developed exam paragraph:

Point: One way media ownership may influence media content is…
Application: This can be seen when…
Analysis: This matters because it may affect…
Theory link: This supports a Marxist / neo-Marxist / pluralist view because…
Evaluation: However, this view can be criticised because…

For more Media content, click the link below:

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The Sociology Guy is a pseudonym originally used by Craig Gelling when he was working in an FE College to provide an outlet for his frustrations with how he was expected to teach and strict rules around intellectual property in his former employer. The Sociology Guy name came from his early years as a supply teacher, where students would often not know his name and ask for ‘the sociology guy’ when coming to the staff room. Initially set up in 2018 as an anonymous You Tube channel, Craig has since written, recorded and presented for many different organisations and education providers. His purpose is to try and make sociology both accessible and understandable for all students and support teachers to inspire the next generation of sociologists.

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