Pew Research says that one problem with privately owned media is that private firms may care more about making money than making media that serves the public interest. Private media may also stifle different points of view by providing uniform content that doesn’t show the full range of opinions about current events.
One of the biggest complaints about private media is that broadcasting companies put most of their effort into programming that is meant to attract as many viewers as possible, often by using sensationalised and shallow content. Since non-profit public media isn’t as concerned with getting as many people to watch as possible, it tends to focus on a wider range of more niche interests. Private news networks, like CNN or Fox News, may pay a lot of attention to the biggest stories going on at the moment and ignore other events that don’t get as much attention.
Another argument against private media is that private companies tend to have much more centralised and standard programmes, which makes the media culture as a whole more similar. Private companies may broadcast mostly the same content all over the country, but public media tends to focus more on local programming and works with community advisors and organisations to cater to the unique interests of different cities, states, or regions. Public media often tries to show different points of view on important issues. Larger private media companies may not always do as much to show different points of view, especially if they go against the company’s business goals.
