Classical Marxist theories would not agree with the claim that the news is selected according to the demand of the target audience. They would instead argue that all media output including news is decided and controlled by the individual decisions of media owners. News is hence produced to reflect ruling class views and the interests of the media owner. This can be seen in the way through which Murdoch controls the editorial lines of his news channels and newspapers to reflect his political views. Classical Marxists would also argue that the news is selected in order to reflect and reinforce the economic power of the ruling class- though principals such as the logic of capitalism and the promotion of consumerism (Marcuse). It can also be argued that news is selected to encourage subordination and obedience to the bourgeoisie instead of meeting audience demand (Miliband). This can be seen within the framework of Althusser’s Ideological State Apparatus, where the media plays an important role in unconscious social control and the imposition of false class consciousness. However, this perspective can be criticized- namely for being too deterministic and failing to take into account the role of the individual. Pluralists would criticize the Marxist view for assuming that people are passive consumers of media output and news- and argue alternatively that people do and have control over what media they consume. Neo-Marxists would criticize the Classical Marxist view for failing to take into account the role of a wider, invisible ideology while it can also be said that the Classical Marxist view does not cover the role of media professionals in shaping news coverage.
Neo-Marxist theorists would also disagree with the claim that the news is selected according to the demand of the target audience. They would argue that news is selected according to compliance with the ruling ideology of capitalism which enjoys cultural hegemony (Bourdieu) over other ideologies. Media professionals such as journalists, producers and editors who select the news and act as gatekeepers and agenda-setters (GUMG) are all indoctrinated in the ruling ideology through the virtue of their predominantly middle-class background and hence reflect this ideology in their work. This is further backed by the ‘Logic of Capitalism’ (Wartella) and in work by Stuart Hall within which it is argued that the media overwhelmingly favours capitalism, management and owners in news coverage. The Glasgow University Media Group’s study of strike coverage also showed clear bias in favour of the ruling capitalist ideology in news coverage- with strike violence being reported more than police violence, the use of ideologically charged language as well as greater access to management. This is proved in further studies by the GUMG including ‘Bad News’ and ‘More Bad News’. However, this view can be criticized, mainly due to its deterministic nature- as not all media professionals believe in or are indoctrinated in the ruling ideology, and not all news which is reported backs the ruling ideology. Pluralists would also argue against the Neo-Marxist view, claiming instead that individuals through their market power control the news more than ideology. Classical Marxists would also criticize this view, instead arguing that media owners still dominate media coverage and decision making within the news-making process.
It could be argued that the influence of media professionals as well as practical constraints plays a greater role in selecting the news than audience demands. Studies including ‘The Manufacture of News’ and ‘Media Making’ by Cohen & Young and Grossberg et al respectively serve as clear proof of this. News is selected on the basis of practical constraints due to the tight deadlines and constraints which influence. Time Constraints may mean that only easily available stories make it into news, while editors and journalists are forced to plan the news around a theme or agenda to save time. Tight monetary constraints and budgets may also factor into news coverage and what news is covered- with stories cheaper or easier to cover brought in, or stories bought directly from news agencies without verification of facts. Technical constraints play a greater role in determining news coverage than consumer demand- it may not be possible, for example, to get cameras into certain areas, and there may not be enough space within the medium of transmission for a story. Journalistic Values and Practices may also have a greater impact upon news coverage than audience demand. This is because journalists learn to follow certain rules and norms in their occupation- what we can call ‘news values’ (Hall). Bureaucratic and Cultural News Values help to shape news coverage- with an emphasis on currency, simplicity, size, expectations, importance and negativity. However, these arguments can be criticized. Classical Marxists and Neo-Marxists would criticize these views for failing to take into account the power differentials and the influence of a dominant ideology within any news gathering and news-presenting organization, while pluralists would argue that the demands of the audience and the market pressures involve inevitably have a greater influence on the news than media culture.
In conclusion, it can be argued that although consumer and audience demand does play a clear role in determining news coverage, other factors, including the existence of a dominant ideology (which, from the Functionalist view, could be seen as the social consensus), as well as practical constraints, media values and finally the influence of ownership also play significant roles in deciding the content, style and nature of news. Therefore, it should be said that the news is determined by a mixture of the above in different quantities- interacting with each other in differing circumstances depending on the news organization and other factors.
