Thread: Wealth and the Mass Media

It is no secret the wealthy control the various mass media outlets, the main contributors being MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, among others (all of which are right wing media outlets, anyone who thinks the Democrats and the media supporters they have are fighting for the working class is either delusional or simply lying). This, in turn, influences the way people see the world and, as a result, the media is a key means by which the general population come to accept, and support, the arrangements of the social, economic, and political order. This process ensures that state violence is not necessary to maintain the system as more subtle means are required: the manufacture of consent, and deceiving the masses with necessary illusions. The media, therefore, are a key means of ensuring that the dominant ideas within society are those of the dominant class.



The various major media outlets are basically profit-seeking corporations, owned and controlled by very wealthy people. Many of these companies are fully integrated into the financial market which means that the pressures of stockholders, directors and bankers are extremely powerful. These media giants have also diversified into other fields. For example GE, and Westinghouse, both owners of major television networks, are huge, diversified multinational companies heavily involved in the controversial areas of weapons production and nuclear power. GE and Westinghouse depend on the government to subsidize their nuclear power and military research and development, and to create a favorable climate for their overseas sales and investments. Similar dependence on the government affect other media.



Because they are large corporations with international investment interests, the major media tend to have a right-wing political bias. In addition, members of the business class own most of the mass media, the bulk of which depends for their existence on advertising revenue (which in turn comes from private business). Business also provides a substantial share of "experts" for news programs and generates massive "flak" (which are negative responses to a media statement or program). Claims that the media are "left-leaning" are sheer disinformation manufactured by the "flak" organizations, this is generated centrally, by organizations, or it may come from the independent actions of individuals (sometimes encouraged to act by media hacks such as right-wing talk show hosts or newspapers). The right-wing media is alive and well, so much so that they have convinced conservatives and liberals that CNN and MSNBC are left-wing ideologues, when in reality, they defend an extremely powerful right-wing party, the Democrats.

The news media these days will only be as "liberal" as they're corporate owners allow them to be.

[quote name='jacksbrat' date='04 November 2009 - 11:19 PM' timestamp='1257394749' post='52463']

The news media these days will only be as "liberal" as they're corporate owners allow them to be.

[/quote]

Exactly.

[quote name='jacksbrat' date='04 November 2009 - 08:19 PM' timestamp='1257394749' post='52463']

The news media these days will only be as "liberal" as they're corporate owners allow them to be.

[/quote]



And the owners of the liberal media allow them to go as far as they want. Remember Dan Rather

[quote name='Forplay' date='04 November 2009 - 11:29 PM' timestamp='1257395385' post='52473']

And the owners of the liberal media allow them to go as far as they want. Remember Dan Rather

[/quote]

Yes, the owners of the "liberal" media (which are by no means liberal) allow them to go as far as they want to the right.

[quote name='Forplay' date='04 November 2009 - 11:29 PM' timestamp='1257395385' post='52473']

And the owners of the liberal media allow them to go as far as they want. Remember Dan Rather

[/quote]





Dan Rather is a perfect example of why there is no "liberal" media. We can have every false accusation and all kinds of phoney birth certificates and documents splattered all over the right wing media and nothing is ever questioned and no one ever has to take a fall for it being totally false. when it's proven false, they just move on to the next false accusation. But poor ole Dan Rather, he just had some documents that the right believed may not be what they thought they were, and he looses his job. The falsehoods of the papers or where and why these documents came from and why they were in Bush's military file was never explained. Bottom line, lies and slander and false documents can be reported on, talked about and taken as true about a democrat all day long and nothing happens to anyone, but say something negative about a republican one time, and you're gone. No body in the news wants to be "dan Rathered".