Theorists
Marx – He believed that society was split into two classes:
Proletariat - working class who sell their labour
Bourgeoisie - the people that own the production that employs the proletariat
Media producers then produce texts which maintain these social divides. These ideologies are passed down through a variety of ways i.e. television programmes and newspapers. As these are both ways of reaching mass audiences.

Adorno – ‘culture industries’, it states that society controls almost everything including culture. The mass audience is manipulated by society (the ruling class) therefore the audience is less able to criticise what they have been shown as it has been commodified to fit the capitalist system. Accusing the media of ‘dumbing down’, Also link to Frankfurt School

Gramsci – theory of Hegemony, elaborated on the theory by Marx.
He argues that the process is so successful that it becomes ‘common sense’ and these ideologies become taken for granted. So, by maintaining these ideologies in the media, the ruling classes can ensure that they retain hegemonic control.

Althusser – identified the ISA (ideological state apparatuses)
Also stated that they help to maintain the ideologies of the bourgeoisie – who can be seen as the ruling class.
Bourgeoisie ideologies include the legal and political system, education and religion.
ISA’s also act to interpellate an audience – so that they presume that these ideologies are correct.

Neema