With the recent uprising in Tehran, and all over Iran it has become painstakingly clear why consolidated and state run media is flat out awful for democracy or just the population (any population) at large. Because centralized controlled media outlets are being blocked the internet has been turned to and is enabling the people most affected by this restriction the ability to communicate. Twitter has become the De facto news outlet along with You Tube for human rights in the face of the Status Quo blocking dissent.
In our country Fox who is the leading yeller and bomb thrower of political footballs, immigration, gay marriage, abortion, wishing Obama to fail is owned by a large corporation who has a vested interest in pushing their own agenda. Unfortunately that agenda runs counter to what the public wants or needs and doesn't come close to being a free and independent press informing the citizens or acting as a watch dog for our rights and consideration. In fact Fox and other big media keep us "entertained" with celebrity rehab stories and gruesome crime. Gone are the days of hard hitting, fact digging informational pieces. The employees can't because they would be outing their employeer, and the news reporters, and the talking heads would be biting the hand that feeds them.
Real news does not live on corporate television or state run media outlets. Real news is on the internet.
Danger Will Robinson - the big cable and media outlets AT&T, Verizon and Comcast want to take the internet as their own and clamp down on any damaging information to their bottom line, charge exorbitant fees and act as gate keepers deciding which Web Sites load fast or slow or not at all. If they get their way a few consolidated companies will decide which channels, content and applications are available - no bull.
Since Five Companies control just about everything we watch and read every day - this is a huge no-no. The internet must remain free and the conglomerates broken up.
If you want a return to legitimate media content, content not screened and censored by the CEO's of giant corporations who want to push their agendas on Capital Hill then the stranglehold of Disney, Time Warner, News Corp, GE/NBC and CBS Viacom (Sumner Redstone) needs to be broken, dismantled and regionalized. The SEC needs to be held accountable for letting this mass consolidation take place in the first place. It was a short sighted profit grab (aren't they all) that is treasonous on its merits.
As strange as it might seem those five companies own the major networks, top cable channels, local TV, radio stations, movie studios, newspapers and popular WEB sites.
Here's the kicker they pay nothing, zero, zilch to the American tax payers for using our airwaves. That's right the airwaves belong to the public - public with a capital "P" and even though they are worth billions of dollars and have resulted in billions of dollars of profit, lobbying, and contributions for the few the tax payer sees "ZERO" cents.
Worse than the 1872 Mining Law, and to add insult to injury they are using our "Public"" airways to serve their own interest and not even paying dime one for the rights. Billions of dollars have been lost to America to upgrade our health care system, education and infrastructure because the Media Giants do not pay the U.S. a licensing fee - zero, nada, free.
This is a tremendous source of income not tapped because the politicians don't have the nerve to go up against big corporate interest especially those that control the media.
So who's running the show, our show, the U.S. government? Big Media is and we better turn that around starting today. Consolidation is killing everything. That's why with over hundreds of channels to choose from it's the same story, same information and lack of quality journalism. You used to be able to hear local music and news on your radio. Now all you get are the same songs and political views coast to coast.
Bruce Springsteen broke regionally in Philadelphia and New York. Now a Springsteen type can't get airplay but manufactured American Idol amateurs (who don't even play their own instruments) can.
Big Media spends BIG MONEY in Washington (how much) billions, and millions in campaign contributions.
I know that their is a mindset out there that thinks it's okay for the powerful and rich to take over the Country. What they don't understand as a group is that their own selfish best interest run counter to what is good for the WHOLE country. The old saying what's good for GE is good for the Country is complete Bullshit. What's good for GE is good for GE what's good for the country is a divergent, eclectic, diverse cornucopia of markets, talent and vision creating a rich and vibrant market, economy and world.
What's good for GE is good for the Country is just plain old incest and that ain't good for anybody and is turning America into some stagnant, pasty, one size fits all, boring, dumb and dumber, anemic, run down, disease ridden relic of itself with nothing new to say, the same old rhetoric and no new ideas!
The energy sector is exactly the same way. We need to "level the playing field" now before it's too late. Five companies controlling the sum total of the majority of our media outlets, print, radio, film and television is not only bad for the country, our health, education and well being it's bad for the world.
Here's a must click link where YOU can do something about it!
Paul Burke - Author Journey Home
No comments:
Post a Comment