marxist press

FUNCTIONS OF MASS MEDIA:
MARXIAN VIEW
Ratheesh Kaliyadan

To Marx, the press is a central element of the super structure, the Uberbau, which the ruling classes erected as their literary, political and ideological chauvenism for maintaining power. In English, the word superstructure suggests something that is built on the top of something else. To Marx , it is a critical part of the social order. News papers would certainly influence the ideology of intelligentsia, civil servants, shopkeepers and these in turn would pass along to the under class the “truths” they had read in the papers.
Journalists, in Marx’s view were themselves members of the proliterate. They were alies of bourgeoisie in the maintenance of its power, most importantly through deserving the people into failure to recognize their state of alienation.
Capitalists control not only the farms and the factories but also governments, churches, schools and presses. So V.I.Lenin identified three rules for mass media.

• Collective propagandist
• Collective agitation

• Collective organizer.

The Marxist press has a participatory role in social change. Journalists never stand apart from the process of socialisation. They are active participants in the movements as the Marxian idealogues and propogandors. News and views influence the laymen to stay with the part of the agitation. These idea are dramatically opposite to the press image in the capitalist lands where the press is viewed as a watchdog and an instrument of education, information and entertainment.