 |
Related Reading
|
 |
 Media
Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
"Propaganda," says Noam Chomsky, "is to a democracy
what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state" —
in other words, the means by which leaders keep the masses
in line. In this slim pamphlet, he looks at American propaganda
efforts, from the warmongering of Woodrow Wilson to the creation
of popular support for the 1991 military intervention in Kuwait,
and reveals how falsification of history, suppression of information,
and the promotion of vapid, empty concepts have become standard
operating procedure for the leaders of the United States —
both Democrats and Republicans — in their efforts to
prevent citizens from raising awkward questions about U.S.
policy.
|
|
FCC Media
Monopoly
|
|
The Federal Communication Commission isn't just concerned
about dirty
words anymore.
The FCC makes decisions that affect the media surrounding
our lives. Recently, a landmark ruling deregulated media
ownership laws. It took nearly two years to reach the
decision.
A few things happened on June 2, 2003. For instance, cross-ownership
of local television stations and newspapers is now permitted.
In other words, a single company can now reach up to 45
percent of American homes.
•Telecommunications
Act of 1996
Let's go back a few years to the last major FCC ruling.
Bill Clinton signed this 1996 act in the hopes of creating
a more competitive media market by giving smaller phone
and cable companies a chance to compete.
•Powerful Powells and a Media Regulator
Michael
Powell, son of U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell,
is the chairman of the FCC. The FCC was established in 1934
and it answers directly to congress. It is the duty of the
FCC to regulate all broadcasting, whether by radio, television,
wire, satellite, or cable.
•All the news that's fit, we print
Since the recent deregulation permits cross-ownership
of television and print media, opponents
of the new ruling say that media will lose diversity in
stories and issues. This means coverage of a story may be
compromised because of a conflict of interests.
•Culture Shock
Minority and ethnic groups, especially the feminist
movement, have highly opposed the new ruling. Opponents
are fighting to overturn
the decision and the fight is far from over. Some
of the largest media conglomerates
have enormous political clout and lobbying strategies. It
is still left to be seen whether congress
will accept the new ruling. Due to the high concentration
of republicans in congress, the bill is expected to pass.
•Who Owns My Favorite Station?
Ownership of media can be broken down into percentages
which depend upon how many television stations or newspapers
there are in a given area.
Written by Jeremy M. Rottgen
What type of media affects your
life the most? E-mail
us!
|
|
On the Web
|
|
Federal Communications
Commission
Media Channel.org
Tom Paine.com
Media
and Politics
|
Media Moguls
|
|
AOL/Time
Warner
When these two companies merged they turned into
one of the most profitable companies on the planet.
Sony
Playstation, Vaio, Sony Music, and a whole universe of gadgets
and electronics have propelled this company into the stratosphere.
Disney
This company owns a substantial amount of Central Florida
and has theme parks worldwide. Disney movies are also some
of the most profitable in show business.
Viacom
"I want my MTV," and as it turns out, so do millions
of others. This is the granddaddy of cable channel companies.
News
Corporation
Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox, heads up this corporation of
many distinguished news outlets including Fox News, The New
York Post, and TV Guide.
Liberty
Media Corp.
Owner of many cable channels including the Discovery Channel,
QVC, Encore, and Starz!
Universal
Movies, theme parks, music companies, and television production.
What more could a media giant ask for?
NBC
They give us Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. They also give us
Scrubs, Friends, and the NBC Nightly News. They also have
a partnership with Microsoft.
|
