Question

theorists working within which theoretical paradigm might argue that mass media are vehicles used by the rich and powerful to control the masses and to reinforce their false consciousness?

Answer 1

The Conflict Perspective is the theoretical paradigm where theorists would argue mass media is controlled by the elite to manipulate the masses and reinforce false consciousness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The theorists who might argue that mass media are vehicles used by the rich and powerful to control the masses and to reinforce their false consciousness are those working within the Conflict Perspective paradigm.

This theoretical framework suggests that societal structures and relationships are shaped by conflicts over resources and power, where the elite use cultural institutions, like the media, to maintain dominance and manipulate the proletariat.

Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky's work, 'Manufactured Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media', supports this view by suggesting that media elites shape public sentiment and normalize ideologies beneficial to the dominant class, thereby perpetuating inequalities and minimizing the presence of marginalized groups.