According to Curran and Seaton, what is a likely consequence of media concentration?

• A. Increases audience variety and independence.
• B. Leads to market domination and a lack of deregulation.
• C. Strengthens government control over media.
• D. Improves media creativity and quality.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is that media concentration concentrates power in the hands of a few owners, and that this concentration tends to shape what gets produced, advertised, and discussed. Curran and Seaton argue that when ownership is concentrated, a small number of firms can dominate markets, control agendas, and limit the range of voices and perspectives that reach the public.

So, a likely consequence is that a few firms come to dominate the media market, which in turn reduces diversity and independence in what is produced. This happens because those dominant players have the resources and networks to squeeze out competing voices and to push content that aligns with their interests. In this view, regulatory action matters: without strong checks to preserve pluralism and protect competition, concentration persists and deepens. That framing is why the option describing market domination and a lack of deregulation aligns with Curran and Seaton’s critique—strong regulation is seen as necessary to counterbalance the power of concentrated ownership.

The other statements don’t fit as well because Curran and Seaton’s theory emphasizes how concentration reduces variety and independence rather than increasing audience variety, strengthening government control, or automatically improving creativity and quality.