Media Concentration, Freedom of Expression, and Democracy

Abstract

The essay discusses Edwin Baker's recent book Media Concentration and Democracy: Why Ownership Matters (CUP 2007), and compares Baker's views with those taken by the Senate of Canada in their 2006 Report on Media Concentration. Although both argue that media concentration is a potential threat to democracy, the focus of the two discussions is importantly different. The Senate focuses on diversity of viewpoint alone, whereas Baker focusses on diversity of communicative power. We support Baker's approach.