political economy of communications
jhally argues that one of the primary purpose of the consciousness industry today is to maintain a shared ideological consensus within the general public. this consensus, in turn, serves to protect the status of the small minority, the ruling capitalist class, which controls most of the wealth, power and knowledge within capitalist societies. define the consciousness industry approach and use it to examine the U.S class structure, the control of wealth and income, the Forbes 400 media players and the formal and informal ties that bind the media to the capitalist class( corporate interest groups, business policy organizations, elite schools, etc.). then examine the structure of BIg Business using Bowles and Edwards dual economic framework, explain its origins and dynamics, and how the media mirrors that of the larger economic structure, including its international activities. FInally, explore how this power structure leads to the general framing by the consciousness industry regarding issues of concern to Big Business and Big media such as energy policy, foreign policy, defense, international trade, the financial system, wealth and income distribution, etc. through censorship, distortion of issues, biases, lies, and silence on issues.