Define Media Mogul
Media Mogul. The words have a nice alliterative ring to them, and it certainly sounds like a good thing to be. After all, media is usually used in a positive way in todays world, and mogul just sounds like it ought to be great as well. Of course, although the word sounds positive, it is helpful to know the definition of a media mogul in order to understand who these media moguls are and what they do in our society.
The dictionary defines media as:
all the means of communication, as newspapers, radio, and TV, that provide the public with news, entertainment, etc., usually along with advertising
Mogul, on the other hand, has a few different definitions:
- a bump or ridge of closely packed snow, built up on a curve where skiers turn
- a Mongol, or Mongolian; esp., any of the Mongolian conquerors of India and Persia, or any of their descendants
- a powerful or important person, esp. one with autocratic power
A mogul, then, is not just one thing. For the purposes of Media Mogul, though, only one definition really makes sense: a mogul is a rich person who has lots of power and influence in a certain area, usually in journalism, politics or business.
A media mogul, therefore, is someone who displays that influence in public media—whether on TV, in the radio, in movies, or in magazines and newspapers.
History of What Media Moguls Do?
Media moguls can control any form of media. In the late 1800s when newspapers began to circulate widely throughout the United States, media moguls began to control large portions of what the public read. Two of the first media moguls were Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, who were the bosses of the New York World and the New York Journal. These two men would set the tone for future media moguls by picking out the most tantalizing and interesting stories to captivate the public. Pulitzer and Hearst took great risks with their newspapers, constantly providing the public with sensational bits of celebrity news, crime stories, and political scandals. The competition between the two guaranteed that every morning, their headlines would be the talk of the town.
The eccentricity of their personalities would demonstrate a precedent for media moguls to come. A media mogul is often larger than life. His or her name becomes synonymous with a brand of entertainment.
What do Media Moguls Do?
Like the media moguls of the past, today’s media moguls are a household name and brand in-and-of-themselves. Oprah has a loyal following, and it is her personality that keeps fans coming back—not the stories that she presents. Donald Trump’s television show The Apprentice is one of the most widely watched programs on television, and it is Trump’s charisma and individuality (and his catchphrase “you’re fired”) more than the contestants on his shows that leave fans wanting more.
A media mogul such as Donald Trump or Oprah will often become popular in more than one form of media. As a businessman (or a real estate mogul), Donald Trump was used to his words being printed in newspapers and magazines before he made the move to television. Conversely, Oprah’s television show was so popular that she launched a huge business, complete with a magazine and her own boarding school! Media moguls have moved from print media to all forms, from television to movies to magazines, and most often a media mogul will be known in many areas of the media.
The internet has created a platform for media moguls to extend their reach into other areas. Common people who once had no celebrity status begin as bloggers or online journalists and end up becoming media moguls in their own right. Moreover, media moguls outside of the internet have extended their scope and celebrity status by using the vast resource as a way to springboard into today’s youth culture.
Media moguls are usually larger-than-life personalities who control or own several large business ventures, media outlets, newspapers or magazines. In this day and age, a media mogul can start almost anywhere before achieving worldwide recognition!