While I think there is correlation here, I think a better arugment would be for the cyclical nature of art. When society goes one way art may go another. (or at times the same way, I doubt it's a 180 relationship)

> Now, if you're a member of a pampered elite able to work at movies/TV/other mass media for a living

Hasn't this always been true? I can't imagine a time in history when plays/literature/music has been more accessible to the working class.