Final answer:
The pluralist view on mass media ownership supports a diverse and competitive media landscape with multiple owners and perspectives, advocating against the concentration of ownership that can lead to an oligopoly with limited viewpoints and less public service.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pluralist view on mass media ownership is a concept within political sociology that emphasizes the distribution of power across diverse groups and interests in society. According to this perspective, which is represented by scholars such as C. Edwin Baker, a diverse and competitive media landscape with multiple owners and perspectives is essential for a robust democracy. This view challenges media consolidation, which refers to the concentration of media ownership in the hands of a few large corporations, leading to an oligopoly. Media consolidation can impact the independence of media, the diversity of viewpoints, and the quality of information that the public receives. It is argued that when a small number of conglomerates control the media, there is less incentive to innovate or provide dissenting opinions, which can result in the public being less well served.
Therefore, option b) 'Advocates for a diverse and competitive media landscape with multiple owners and perspectives.' correctly describes the pluralist view on mass media ownership. This view supports the presence of many voices in the media marketplace, ensuring that a variety of perspectives can be accessed by the public, which is fundamental to the democratic process.
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