After taking this media foundations course, I've really realized how corrupt the media actually is. It's very scary. Have you ever read A Brave New World? If you haven't, it's basically about a world that purely consumer based. Society is structured in a way that makes people buy things and people are brainwashed to be content in certain societal roles. You should read it if you haven't. That could happen to us.
We don't even realize that the major media players are fighting to cast the most influence over the world. It permeates all media: movies, television, publications, theme parks, products, etc. According to our text and many of the documentaries we've watched throughout the course, there are three major companies that own all other mediums. The content we see is manufactured to appeal to the largest demographic, and we're losing originality as a result. Long story short, the media is pretty much in control of the content we consume. It's keeping the less accepted works out of the media because it's less lucrative. We're being dumbed down for the sake of the all mighty dollar. That is unforgivable.
This "political economy" approach to media is most certainly valid and important...But I would also remind you of the discussion around the "hypodermic model" vs. a cultural studies approach to media... semiotics! How we conceive media audiences is a political act--no, really!
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