Not Just A Phone Company Anymore [Media Hegemonies]

Christina and I worked together on this project, and we were both pretty confused at where to start. It’s not that I don’t understand the concept of hegemony and media ownership, there just seems to be so much information that it’s difficult to begin. I’m glad that I’ve worked with her for most of these projects, mainly because we bounce ideas off each other really well.

We visited yourmedia.ca and found ten major companies that own a lot of the media Canadians hear, read, and see daily. We decided to pick a Canadian company, Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), instead of one of the big American companies. I was surprised to find that so many of the print I read and television I watch is owned by Bell.



As the map above depicts, BCE owns the Globe and Mail, CTV Network, and The Comedy Network, just to name a few. Last year, BCE bought CHUM Ltd. for $1.4 billion. Allan Waters created CHUM in 1954, with one lone radio station. The company grew to have 33 radio stations, 12 television outlets, and 21 specialty channels. It is interesting to find out such a well-known pioneering company, such as CHUM, was bought by BCE.

It is obvious that these huge companies are always striving to become bigger and receive more, especially with regards to money. The more media an enterprise is able to control, the better. The main problem, however, is that these huge companies are taking over all sorts of media and taking away the voice of smaller companies. How are independent magazines, newspapers, and broadcast channels supposed to survive? A lot of money is going to large companies, which are able to buy out smaller companies. This concept is similar to what happened with BCE buying out CHUM.

The scary fact is that BCE owns so many media outlets, that they are basically deciding what the public is being informed about. If the BCE is doing some wrong, they could make sure their media outlets are keeping it quiet or spinning the story to make it something positive. Suddenly, all their media outlets are seemingly PR representatives. It is also interesting to note that BCE could use product placement and advertising in any television show, newspaper, or Internet site they want. It is no surprise that I frequently see Bell commercials and advertising, probobably more than any other service provider.

A concentrated amount of companies own the media in Canada. All of these companies have too much money for their own good. We, as the public and consumers, are being told what to think and believe by a small group of people who own much of the information we receive daily. I think it is important to recognize hegemony, and try our best to receive information from all types of sources, especially those who are not owned by one single company.


Works Cited:
Robertson, Grant, and Jacquie McNish. "BGM Grabs CHUM for $1.4 Billion." Your Media. 19 Nov. 2007 .