Publication Title

Critical Studies in Mass Communication

American Mass Media and the Myth of Libertarianism: Toward an "Elite Power Group" Theory

Authors

Roya Akhavan-Majid, St. Cloud State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Peer Reviewed Article

Publication Date

1991

Abstract

This paper presents evidence of the demise of Libertarianism in the U.S. mass media system and proposes an “elite power group” model as an alternative explanation of the workings of the mass media in the United States. In sharp contrast to the structural characteristics implied by the Libertarian model, the U.S. media industry is organized as an elite power group characterized by

• growing concentration and conglomeration,
• integration with other power elites, and
• ability to exercise self-serving control on the government even as it is controlled by it.

Comments

NOTICE: this is the author’s final version of a work that was accepted for publication in Critical Studies in Mass Media. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published as:

Akhavan-Majid, Roya, (1991). "American Mass Media and the Myth of Libertarianism: Toward an "Elite Power Group" Theory." Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Vol. 8, 1991, pp. 139-151.

Recommended Citation

Akhavan-Majid, Roya, "American Mass Media and the Myth of Libertarianism: Toward an "Elite Power Group" Theory" (1991). Mass Communication Faculty Publications. 10.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/comm_facpubs/10