House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 1

Title: House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 1

Tags: media power, Freedman, contradiction, control, influence, arrangement

Author: Kirsten Murphy

Date: March 23^rd, 2015

Episode Summary: In this opening episode of the popular Netflix series House of Cards, viewers get an introduction into all that the series has come to stand for  - political maneuvering, power plays, bargaining using influence and power, and the personal motivations of society’s power elite. In this episode we are introduced to many of the main characters in the first season of the series – Frank and Claire Underwood, Peter Russo, Doug Stamper, Zoe Barnes, and the like. The clip that I have choosen shows the initial meeting between Zoe and Frank; a meeting that Zoe initiated by showing up at Frank’s personal residence.

Analysis: In the first chapter of his book The Contradictions of Media Power Des Freedman discusses how contradiction is one of the four major paradigms in media power. Freedman explains that media power is an interested force, but one that is tied to existing reproductions of power through relationships. This clip is a good example of this because Zoe (who represents media power) must offer many concessions to Frank (who represents existing reproductions of power, or government) in order to gain influence. Although media is formally separated from the state, it is still intertwined with it – as can be seen later on when Zoe and Frank heighten their arrangement to one that is also sexual.

Furthermore, as Freedman explains in his book, power is the “relationship between different interests engaged in struggles for a range of objectives that include legitimation, influence, control, status, and increasingly, profit.” In this clip there is a struggle for all of these things between Zoe and Frank. Zoe wants the legitimation, status, and profit that having information from an influential senator like Frank can give her. Frank wants to have influence and control over the media, by controlling Zoe and what she prints. In this balance of power Frank has the advantage so Zoe must offer concessions like printing whatever she is told to, and not asking any questions. This further illustrates how media power must work within government stipulations, or existing reproductions of power in other words. Examples of this in the real world can be seen in government censorship, and controlled media releases from government officials.

Ultimately, as Freedman explains, media power is only as strong as readers and viewers allow it to be. Yet it is also only as strong as existing power structures, like the government, allows it to be. This can be seen through Frank and Zoe’s arrangement that originates in this clip. Later on in the series, Zoe (media power) will try to become stronger and more independent, but Frank (government) will still have a level of influence and control that dominates over Zoe’s media power.