Final answer:
The media produced by the bourgeoisie tends to reflect and reinforce the ruling class's ideologies, often limiting public exposure to a diverse range of viewpoints.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of media being produced by the entire ruling class, specifically the bourgeoisie, touches on the ways in which media can reflect the ideologies and interests of those in power.
The bourgeoisie refers to the class of people who own the means of production in a capitalist society. They have historically been influential in shaping societal norms, values, and ideologies.
The media, as a tool that can be used by the bourgeoisie, often reinforces the perspectives of the ruling class, which can limit the diversity of viewpoints presented to the public.
This is exemplified, as mentioned by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky in their book 'Manufactured Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media', where media elites shape the population's sentiments to reflect certain ideologies.
In capitalist societies, the bourgeoisie's influence extends to promoting ideas that uphold the status quo, such as the emphasis on competition and individualism, which benefit the owners of industry.
Such ideas can be disseminated through various forms of media, leading to a sort of ideological control that prevents the working class, or the proletariat, from questioning their societal position or the prevailing socio-economic conditions.
The media, by focusing on profit and the bottom line, may also neglect in-depth coverage of government and public affairs or fail to present diverse views on policy issues, as critiqued by some scholars.
Key examples include the propaganda efforts by the Bolsheviks to represent proletarian interests, as described by Lenin, and the attitudes of the Victorian bourgeoisie towards the proletariat, highlighting class-based prejudices and fears of societal change.