Week # 2 Discussion: Carrie Rentschler’s ‘Expanding the Definition of Media Activism’
Rentschler’s ‘Expanding the Definition of Media Activism’ examines four typologies of media activism: media reform movements, the alternative press, flak, and the use of public relations and news writing techniques. Rentschler examines what these practices are designed to do and how they can effect the media coverage of certain events, such as the national crime and antiviolence social movements.
Rentschler states that media activists want access to media outlets, they want to provide sources for news, and they want to encourage news stories that promote their specific policy agendas. Media watch groups are generally not financially backed by large media organizations because they advocate for media reform and an open, free media. This is troublesome because what media activists actually want is mainstream media attention. Activists will turn to alternative press to get there message out, which is also problematic as people who consume alternative media are already supportive of media reform.
What Rentschler fails to examine is the role that advertising plays in the role of media activism. The author states that media watch groups are resource-poor organizations. I think this is partially due to the fact that alternative media’s messages and ideals do not appeal to advertisers. Advertising is what financially backs big media. Since media advocates occasionally use flak to direct negative responses towards the media, its no wonder of why these organizations are resource poor.
In comparison to media corporations, media activist groups do not have a large following. They have limited reach because they have no money to create or fund media that consumers will actually watch. While Rentschler does address three strategies of media advocacy groups (becoming news sources, training journalists, and synthetic techniques that cut across categories), I feel there should be one more strategy added to this list: creating audiences that will attract advertisers.
With that being said, if media activist groups appealed more to advertisers would their messages appeal more to mass audiences as well?
Finally, will media reform and an open, free media ever exist with advertisers providing financial support for media corporations?