The USA Corporate Media

[monsoon]

Is anyone concerned that almost every national TV channel (including all news) commonly available to people living in the United States is now controlled by just 5 companies? These are:

• Sumner Redstone - Private individual that controls CBS Corporation and Viacom

• Walt Disney Company - ABC News

• News Corporation controlled by Rupert Murdoch - Fox News

• TimeWarner - CNN

• General Electric - NBC/Universal

I've listed the associated news brand, but these conglomerates also now seem to own almost every cable channel in the USA. There are a few exceptions of channels owned by Sony. The people controlling these companies would seem to have a vast amount of power to shape public opinion in this country.

My issues with this are: There are two individuals/families controlling two of the conglomerates. Sumner Redstone does not answer to anyone. Rupert Murdoch does have to answer to his board, but I am not sure how much stock he controls. General Electric is a huge defense contractor to the US Government and to allies in the Middle East. Time Warner has significant investments from the Saudis. I am not sure about Disney.

What do you think of this?

[dgreco]

not only do they control visual media, they control a lot more than that. They own the written media and most of popular culture. It scares me that we have basically 5-6 oligopolies that control everything.

[Charlotteman]

Anyone that thinks the American media isn't being controlled by someone isn't watching/listening to the news. Freedom of the Press is a complete myth these days........and to make it worse, the American people don't even care. I rarely take the media seriously anymore. Unless I want to know what Lohan is up to, why would I even bother turning on TV news?

[kayman]

It is bizarre, yet reality of the country's mass media. The fact that CBS Corporation and Viacom are still typically the same company after their alleged "split" is crazy. There are still a few indepedently on forms for media still left out there, of course one must look very hard. All I can tell people is that if you want to get your news then it probably best you read a newspaper, AP, or even blogs these days because apparently independent media is at a truly low point at this point.

[Charlotteman]

........ All I can tell people is that if you want to get your news then it probably best you read a newspaper, AP, or even blogs these days because apparently independent media is at a truly low point at this point.

[Charlotteman]

.......Something I find quite puzzling is how the conservatives are always blaming the Media for everything, showing a biased view. In fact if you look at the structure of the Media today, they tend to be more influenced by the conservative side. Most of those controlling large media corporations are essentially money men, and they tend to put their power behind conservative ideals more often than not.

[Gard]

I don't buy into what the tv news media says, so, no. When I do pay attention to anything from the news media, its non-political stuff, like the weather, sports highlights, things like that. Anything related to politics I come to conclusions on based on my own digging around. I'd much more concerned with how much control Microsoft has over OS'es than I am about mass news media at the moment. This is because there is far more competition than there is in the OS world and its evolving with growing competition from internet media, especially that of bloggers.

This is something I have been noticing too. It's really amazing how the media is so blatantly pro McCain! What ever happened to the "Left Wing Biased Media"? Right wing kooks complained for years that the media was against them. They can't claim that these days.

[dgreco]

I don't pay much attention to tv news media, so, no. When I do watch anything from the news media, its non-political stuff, like the weather, sports highlights, things like that. Anything related to politics I come to conclusions on based on my own digging around. I'd much more concerned with how much control Microsoft has over OS'es than I am about mass news media at the moment. This is because there is far more competition than there is in the OS world and its evolving with growing competition from internet media, especially that of bloggers.

[Gusterfell]

Something I find quite puzzling is how the conservatives are always blaming the Media for everything, showing a biased view. In fact if you look at the structure of the Media today, they tend to be more influenced by the conservative side. Most of those controlling large media corporations are essentially money men, and they tend to put their power behind conservative ideals more often than not.