The role of the press in maintaining social ideology

Abstract

The press perform a crucial role in facilitating the social, economic and political spheres which combine to bind society together. This thesis looks at the relationship between the press and ideology. It provides an account of the way ideology works through the press to influence the community and asserts that the role of the press is fundamental to the maintenance of social ideology. The thesis discusses the Marxist view of the role of the press in society, and the arguments which support this perspective - false consciousness, cognitive schema theory, symbolism and ritual, and concentration of ownership. Concentration of ownership creates conditions which define the content of the press by influencing newspaper - structures, the role of sources and the role of public relations. This discussion is supported by a study which assesses qualitatively and quantitatively the values of corporate representation in the press. This reveals a significant correlation between the interests of corporations and the content of the press.