Essay plan

• Internet access in households was lower in the past, there was a digital divide. is this democratic? 

• Pluralism links in with audiences having a greater variety of views and values, therefore audiences can be empowered.

• Elitism- e.g. Murdoch owns many newspapers and TV channels so there is not much of a variety of views. (Pareto's law)

• Developments such as social media e.g. Twitter are to do with user generated content which helps to get views across. 

• Audiences can be empowered by this to an extent if they read or watch biased news. 

• Accuracy of online information. 'Andrew Keen'- there are too many webpages which seem to be created by the activity of a million monkeys typing nonsense. 

• Misinformation- Wikipedia

• There is a greater variety of views and values in this case. 

• Audiences are empowered as they can create their own websites and blogs.

• Audiences dis-empowered- phones being hacked. 

• Pareto's law- a majority of media institutions are owned by a minority. 
• being 'dumbed down' - dis-empowered.
• Gatekeepers (editors) control the media.