Karl Marx’s “Communist Manifesto” divides society into two categories: the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the upper class who possess both power and wealth. The Proletariat are the low class masses who are exploited by the bourgeoisie. In Noam Chomsky’s “Propaganda Model” the bourgeoisie media elite dominate and control the masses or proletariat. All the power is concentrated with in a small population of elite. These huge conglomerates have a monopoly on setting the agenda. We proletariat are helplessly reliantly on mass media for all forms of information ranging from politics and world economics to the latest celebrity fashion and style. Noam Chomsky gives the example in “Manufacturing Consent” of the news coverage of the East Timor genocide. The media didn’t cover anything about what was happening so the American public was completely ignorant of the atrocities occurring in East Timor. The media elite had complete control of the information available to the public.
Marx then goes on to say the “bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation to a mere money relation.” Money drives the media industry. According the “propaganda model,” media conglomerates are not responsive to the people but to corporate interests. There primary goal is to make money. The New York Times contains more adds (40%) then it does actual news (60%). Media is bombarded with advertisements and tailored to fit the interests of sponsors.
Both are critical of the self-interest of the bourgeoisie media elite who manipulate and coerce the masses to their will. They condemn the centralization and concentration of power into a few people/conglomerates.
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