The issues raised by media ownership and funding in contemporary media practice
All media, whether it’s film or music it's owned by a company that reserves the rights to produce, exhibit and distribute that product. for example the Warner Bros. owns DC comics, and therefore has the rights to all the characters in DC Universe. Corporations may also converge, either vertically or horizontally, and work in synergy in the industry to make better outcome. as production companies are often either owned or under contract with a media corporation. the 20th Century Fox is owned one of the 6 major film studios in Hollywood and is a subsidiary of Fox Entertainment which is owned by News Corporation These companies are usually self-financing as they are owned by larger corporations. However, existence of parent companies, end up controlling the production companies and the means to distribute, establishing a monopoly over the industry. On the basis of their firm groundwork and greater aggregate budget availability to invest into films and buy other smaller production houses, these limited media giants not only dictate how a movie is produced, but also consequentially eliminate competition from the market. This bounds diversity and choice for audiences and gives birth to endless, poor quality, profit oriented sequels. Working Title, a British production company, collaborated with Universal Studios in 1999 to produce the box office hit Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994). The film’s success led to a longer contract being signed by the two entities, however all films produced afterwards sent Universal Studios into loss due to a lack of creativity. Such is the case with the British film industry that is overshadowed by Hollywood. Funded by the government, the revenue invested in British films is comparatively less as compared to the large amount of capital that Hollywood finances movies with. As a result, the above form alliances with the American production houses in order to produce a film. This in turn regect them room to create freely, and without the influence of their culture. The Aardman uk and Dream works (USA) partnership is rumored to have ended on similar grounds when Aardman refused to shift to computer generated imagery from animations for its parent AARDMAN Political influences and biases of owners may also be signified in the end product to please investors in certain cases. https://artandthensome.wordpress.com/2016/02/04/issues-raised-by-media-ownership-and-funding-in-contemporary-media-practice/