Final answer:
The claim that more than three-quarters of daily newspapers are owned by media conglomerates is true. Ownership concentration has led to media monopolies, where a few media conglomerates control a significant portion of media outlets, reducing viewpoint diversity and potentially impacting democratic discourse.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that more than 3/4 of daily print newspapers are owned by media conglomerates is true. Media monopolies and consolidation are significant trends in the industry, which have been ongoing for several decades. The data shows that media conglomerates control a considerable portion of media outlets. For example, in 1983, fifty companies owned 90 percent of U.S. media, a number that had dwindled to just four conglomerates by 2021. Moreover, chains of newspapers owned by corporations account for over 80 percent of circulation, evidencing the extent of consolidation in the print media sector.
Media consolidation affects the diversity of viewpoints available to the public and has raised questions about the impact on democracy and informed citizenry. As conglomerates have grown, the number of independent news sources has shrunk, leading to an oligopoly where a few firms dominate the media marketplace. This consolidation is reflected not only in newspapers but across various media platforms including television networks, cable systems, and the internet.
While there are still a significant number of media outlets in terms of sheer numbers, the ownership is concentrated, meaning that a variety of voices are less likely to be heard and fewer perspectives are available for public consumption. This trend towards media globalization is driven by multinational corporations that gain control over global mass-media content and distribution.