Media proprietor

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A media proprietor, also called a media executive, media mogul, media tycoon, or press baron is an entrepreneur who controls any means of public or commercial mass media, through the personal ownership or holding of a dominant position within a media conglomerate or enterprise. Those with significant control of a large media-based forum may also be called a business magnate. Since the advent of social media, influencers and entertainers who have garnered large followings on platforms have also been considered media proprietors.

Contents

History

In the United States, newspaper proprietors first became prominent in the 19th century with the development of mass circulation newspapers. In the 20th century, proprietorship expanded to include ownership of radio and television networks, as well as film studios, publishing houses, online platforms, and other forms of multimedia companies. Reflecting this, the term "press baron" was replaced by "media baron" and the term "media mogul" (or "Hollywood mogul" when applied to people specifically working in the American film industry) was popularized in colloquial English. Media proprietors are likely to claim that their publications are editorially independent and unbiased, but this is often questioned. [1] Social networking services such as Facebook are sometimes considered media companies due to their widespread influence. [2]

Notable media proprietors

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A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the creation or ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or services are widely consumed. Such individuals have been known by different terms throughout history, such as robber barons, captains of industry, moguls, oligarchs, plutocrats, or tai-pans.

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Viscount Rothermere, of Hemsted in the county of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for the press lord Harold Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth. He had already been created a baronet, of Horsey in the County of Norfolk, on 14 July 1910, and Baron Rothermere, of Hemsted in the County of Kent, in 1914. Every holder of the titles has served as chairman of Daily Mail and General Trust plc. As of 2022 the titles are held by the first Viscount's great-grandson, the fourth Viscount, who succeeded his father in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Harmsworth</span> Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Baron Harmsworth, of Egham in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1939 for the Liberal politician Cecil Harmsworth, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs between 1919 and 1922. As of 2017 the title is held by his grandson, the third Baron, who succeeded his uncle in 1990.

Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) is a British multinational media conglomerate, the owner of the Daily Mail and several other titles. The 4th Viscount Rothermere is the chair and controlling shareholder of the company. The head office is located in Northcliffe House in Kensington, London. In January 2022, DMGT delisted from the London Stock Exchange following a successful offer for DMGT by Rothermere Continuation Limited.

Jonathan Harold Esmond Vere Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, is a British peer and owner of a newspaper and media empire founded by his great-grandfather Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere. He is the chairman and controlling shareholder of the Daily Mail and General Trust, formerly "Associated Newspapers", a media conglomerate which includes the Daily Mail.

Vere Harold Esmond Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere, known as Vere Harmsworth until 1978, was a British newspaper magnate. He controlled large media interests in the United Kingdom and United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esmond Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere</span> British Conservative politician and press magnate

Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere, was a British Conservative politician and press magnate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere</span> British newspaper proprietor (1868–1940)

Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere,, was a leading British newspaper proprietor who owned Associated Newspapers Ltd. He is best known, like his brother Alfred Harmsworth, later Viscount Northcliffe, for the development of the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror. Rothermere was a pioneer of popular tabloid journalism, and his descendants continue to control the Daily Mail and General Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth</span> British politician

Cecil Bisshopp Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth LLD, was a British businessman and Liberal politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in 1915 and as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs between 1919 and 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil Harmsworth King</span> British publisher

Cecil Harmsworth King was Chairman of Daily Mirror Newspapers, Sunday Pictorial Newspapers, and the International Publishing Corporation (1963–1968), and a director at the Bank of England (1965–1968).

There have been four baronetcies created for members of the Harmsworth family, all in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. All recipients were brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe</span> British newspaper and publishing magnate (1865–1922)

Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, was a British newspaper and publishing magnate. As owner of the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror, he was an early developer of popular journalism, and he exercised vast influence over British popular opinion during the Edwardian era. Lord Beaverbrook said he was "the greatest figure who ever strode down Fleet Street." About the beginning of the 20th century there were increasing attempts to develop popular journalism intended for the working class and tending to emphasize sensational topics. Harmsworth was the main innovator. He said, "News is something someone wants to suppress. Everything else is advertising."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Harmsworth</span> British politician

Sir Robert Leicester Harmsworth, 1st Baronet was a British businessman and Liberal politician.

Harmsworth is a surname, and may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Vyvyan Harmsworth Professor of American History</span> Professorship at the University of Oxford

The Harold Vyvyan Harmsworth Professorship is an endowed chair in American history at the University of Oxford, tenable for one year. The Harmsworth Professorship was established by Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere (1868–1940) in memory of his son Harold Vyvyan Alfred St George, who was killed in the First World War, and whose favourite subject was history. Lord Rothermere also established a Harmsworth Professorship in imperial and naval history at Cambridge University in honour of his son Vere, who was killed in the same war. The King Edward VII Professor of English Literature at Cambridge University was endowed by Sir Harold Harmsworth in memory of King Edward VII, who died in 1910.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Harmsworth (barrister)</span> British barrister

Alfred Harmsworth was a British barrister, and the father of several of the United Kingdom's leading newspaper proprietors, five of whom were honoured with hereditary titles – two viscounts, one baron and two baronets. Another son designed the iconic bulbous Perrier mineral water bottle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hildebrand Harmsworth</span>

Sir Hildebrand Aubrey Harmsworth, 1st Baronet was a British newspaper proprietor, twice unsuccessful parliamentary candidate, and member of the Harmsworth publishing family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St John Harmsworth</span> English businessman

William Albert St John Harmsworth was an English businessman who bought and established the fledgling Perrier brand of sparkling mineral water in France, designed its distinctive bulbous green bottle, and made it a huge success in the British Empire.

Sir Lucas White King was an Anglo-Irish colonial administrator and academic, Professor of Oriental Languages at Trinity College, Dublin from 1905 to 1922.

Allied Newspapers Ltd. was a British media consortium with holdings including such national newspapers as The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. Formed in 1924 by the Welsh brothers William Berry, Lord Camrose, and Gomer Berry, along with Sir Edward Iliffe, Allied Newspapers later became Kemsley Newspapers, becoming the largest newspaper group in Britain. The consortium was acquired in 1959 by Roy Thomson, becoming part of Thomson Regional Newspapers.

References

  1. Hanretty, Chris (27 March 2014). "Media outlets and their moguls: Why concentrated individual or family ownership is bad for editorial independence". European Journal of Communication. 29 (3): 335–350. doi:10.1177/0267323114523150. ISSN   0267-3231. S2CID   53710900 . Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  2. "Mark Zuckerberg appears to finally admit Facebook is a media company". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2018.