Classwork

 This blogpost contains everything I've learnt in class

Media Regulation - Media regulation aims to balance freedom of speech, protect consumers, ensure accurate information dissemination, and address ethical concerns.

Power and the Media

Power in media is about who controls content, how they use it, and who is affected. It can come from:

• Companies (buying others, dominating markets)
• Governments (laws, regulation)
• Individuals (creators, social media)

Power is used to shape representation, influence opinion, and control attention.

'Power and the media’ is a topic which asks learners to interrogate the nature of power, how it is wielded, by whom and in what ways. This could be the power to represent, to speak for a particular group, or the power to acquire independent companies in order to benefit from their brand and market share. It could also be the growing power of individuals to produce and distribute their own material, to create their own brands and to make an impact on political discourse via social media.

Power can come from: 

• Ownership (big tech, platforms, media conglomerates) 
• Governments (regulation, censorship) 
• Audiences (resistance, viral culture)

Case Studies we learnt in class:

PEGI (Pan European Game Information) An official online website, providing age rating system for video games in Europe, designed to help parents and players make informed decisions about the content of games.

Simply, PEGI gives games an age rating (3, 7, 12, 16, or 18) to show what age group the game is suitable for. It also uses content descriptors (like violence, bad language, gambling, fear, drugs, discrimination, online play) so people know what kind of material is inside the game.

Why its important in Media Regulation:

• It protects children and young audiences from exposure to harmful or inappropriate content. 
• It gives parents guidance and control over what their children play. 
• It maintains social responsibility in the gaming industry by ensuring companies classify and warn about their content. 
• It connects to wider debates about media effects, audience protection, and how regulation balances freedom of expression with safeguarding.