Political-economic paradigms are useful in analysis of a contemporary media arrangement and the role of media in political practices, both in a New Zealand context. In doing this some key issues are illuminated; the state of democratic process in New Zealand and how it is compromised or facilitated, the role of technology in politics, social values that are perpetuated through mainstream media, the significance of advertising and ultimately the relevance of understanding a variety of differing political economic paradigms. This essay is organised into three key parts. The first describes key aspects of liberal-pluralism and Marxism, that are relevant. The second applies these paradigms to New Zealand 's mainstream print media after digital
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Each paradigm’s perspective on advertising varies significantly. Marxism is particularly bitter and therefore understandable cynical about the current digital news media landscape in New Zealand. Whereas Liberal-pluralism sees it as a positive generator of supply and demand. Furthermore, liberal pluralism sees power as far more evenly distributed; Marxism highlights the inequalities of the class-system inherent in capitalist society. Liberal-pluralism has a tendency to focus on citizen as consumer, as this, as the paradigm suggests is where power really lies. Consumers can select and reject certain content or products thereby facilitating supply and demand/the invisible hand and controlling what is produced through this power. Marxism more strongly suggest a kind of naivety of the proletariat and their lack of agency under bourgeois rule. Regarding media more broadly, liberal-pluralism suggests media are independent and unaffected by external forces and do their utmost to depict fair, balanced content. Marxism suggest that media produced socially manufactured messages, that uphold and can not escape the biases of the bourgeoisie in capitalist systems.While liberal-pluralism challenges many Marxist ideas, both are focused on understanding capitalist societies. Therefore it is useful to use them both for nuanced analysis because of their contrasting
Each paradigm’s perspective on advertising varies significantly. Marxism is particularly bitter and therefore understandable cynical about the current digital news media landscape in New Zealand. Whereas Liberal-pluralism sees it as a positive generator of supply and demand. Furthermore, liberal pluralism sees power as far more evenly distributed; Marxism highlights the inequalities of the class-system inherent in capitalist society. Liberal-pluralism has a tendency to focus on citizen as consumer, as this, as the paradigm suggests is where power really lies. Consumers can select and reject certain content or products thereby facilitating supply and demand/the invisible hand and controlling what is produced through this power. Marxism more strongly suggest a kind of naivety of the proletariat and their lack of agency under bourgeois rule. Regarding media more broadly, liberal-pluralism suggests media are independent and unaffected by external forces and do their utmost to depict fair, balanced content. Marxism suggest that media produced socially manufactured messages, that uphold and can not escape the biases of the bourgeoisie in capitalist systems.While liberal-pluralism challenges many Marxist ideas, both are focused on understanding capitalist societies. Therefore it is useful to use them both for nuanced analysis because of their contrasting