ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the evolution of media ownership and its implications worldwide as well as in our own lives. It traces the development of media through time and describes media convergence. The chapter argues the pros and cons of government regulation of media and explains net neutrality and why it matters. It provides an example of globalized media programming and shows how advertising supports mass media. To sell the advertising that funds their engines, media companies need to have content that attracts the customers who are highly valued by marketers. The most valued customers are those who spend money and buy things and services. The chapter defines the role of algorithms in shaping modern societies and explains the relationship between a diverse staff/creators and diverse media content. Media messages are created by a largely male and white workforce and leadership. Media organizations, from movie casts to comic book publishers, are dominated by men.
