Shadow of Media Inequality Over National Economy

Media inequality is a situation in which some political or social groups have more access to media than their rivals, which helps them shape public opinion to their own advantage and to the detriment of others. Just as unequal access to wealth or opportunities creates hurdles in the way of development, media inequality can do likewise by acting as a barrier between a society and economic growth. 
This was stated by Nasser Zakeri, an economist, in a write-up for the Persian daily Shargh. A translation of the text follows:
In a society where media inequality is not conspicuous, political rivals have to criticize their competitors’ agenda and performance on the one hand and defend their own actions in the face of criticism from rivals on the other hand. Such a situation compels all political groups to do their utmost to increase their efficiency and improve their performance, otherwise their rivals will dominate public perception. In other words, equal access to public tribunes and media will force political groups to make efforts for increasing their share of votes just like economic enterprises using every means possible to grab a larger share of the market.