Everpowerful Opportunity: Media Industry Desires Complete Societal Discourse

Brian L. Ott and Robert L. Mack suggest that the media has rules within it that are designed to disseminate the plethora of viewpoints expressing voices within society, which are seen in the light of allowing expression to materialize in the corners of all culture (84). The authors acknowledge that those with a higher stance within society, which they equate with the amount of money in their possession, have a simply easy time in utilizing the media for a variety of purposes, an illustration of expression that does not characterize the less advantageous (Ott and Mack 84). Therefore, these stipulations pronounced by media industries are endowed with the ambition that those who are not exceedingly wealthy can utilize aspects of media, such as television, to express their beliefs and thoughts (Ott and Mack 84). Providing an example, among others, Ott and Mack illustrated the equal time rule, which postulates a schematic for the handling of commercials conjured by politicians attempting a victory and position in office in the midst of elections (85). Though the authors suggest a number of directives under the rule’s umbrella, the one I will provide focus to is the idea that should a political actor be granted, for any reason, a duration of time where they are documented by a media outlet without the giving of money, a similar accommodation must also be forwarded to rivals or opponents (85).

The Terminator (Widescreen) (1984)
Source: Best Buy.ca

     Arnold Schwarzenegger, having undertaken roles in action movies such as The Terminator and The Running Man, came to manifest his life with the conception of politics in 2003, a move which provided a somewhat comical necessitation from television networks: to disassociate their broadcasting choices with any semblance to an advertisement with no cash exchange involved, they ceased any showing of the library of motion pictures affiliated with Schwarzenegger (85). Thus, there could be no accusation of fraudulent advertising, while also no proclamation of an analogous mode of conduct for his competitors (85). I think this is an interesting tactic, and one that illustrates the determination of media industries to secure an arena of equality. Though I do not know if viewing a film documenting a performance of the actor would necessitate giving a vote in his direction, it is a calming and virtuous sight to witness a media industry utilizing any tool they contain in their palm for the goal of sharing opportunity.

                                                                       Works Cited
Ott, Brian L., and Robert L. Mack. "Pragmatic Analysis." Critical Media Studies: an Introduction.
     Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. 72-97. Print.
The Terminator (Widescreen) (1984). Best Buy.ca Web. 29 Sept. 2013