overcoming hope
Member
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2007
- Messages
- 17
1. Ignore important/pertinent stories/issues
2. take trivia and raise it to the level of 'news'
3. If the issue/story is too big for rule # 1, then muddy the water until no one can make heads or tails of it
These are the 3 rules of national media (rules, not laws, you may find rare exceptions)
A common misconception is that it is all about making money; news outlets report on fluff because that is what gets the ratings...this is incorrect.
Think about GE, they own NBC, MSNBC, etc..., but visualize a pie chart if you will of GE's assets (aviation, appliances, energy, oil and gas, water treatment, Healthcare technology, security, finance, rail and finally media and entertainment)
The NBC/MSNBC/CNBC portion of that pie chart is rather small compared to any of the other industries listed. The Purpose of the NBC/MSNBC/CNBC assets is not to make money, but to protect the other assets. (sure money can and will be made, but if the reporting of MSNBC threatens one of the other main assets then MSNBC will always be trumped)
Consider The NY Post and The Washington Times, these news papers lose millions of dollars a year (and they have been losing money for years) So why the heck would anyone want to own these? Influence, plain and simple.
The 'Thank You For Smoking' view of the media is incorrect. That being that the media is an organic entity that reacts to the world around it (with profit as a main motivator). The national media is not organic, it does not reflect reality, it creates reality and it dictates what can and cannot be discussed.
notice I have not once mentioned the mainstream media. All national media is mainstream media. From ABC News (which is owned by Disney) to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now (who is published by Disney). There are some local reporters at small newspapers and local affiliates who are just honest folks trying to get the story, but their reporting remains quarantined in their local markets.
'What about the liberal media?"
It is true that most people that work in the news industry would describe themselves as liberal/progressive, but it is incorrect to say the media is pushing a liberal agenda.
The executive at Disney has more power then the executive at ABC News. To look at the news media and see a bunch of liberals working there and then concluding that the news media is pushing a liberal agenda is kind of like walking into McDonalds and noticing teenagers mopping the floor, running the grill and operating the cash register and then proclaiming that 'McDonalds is pushing a teenager agenda.'
2. take trivia and raise it to the level of 'news'
3. If the issue/story is too big for rule # 1, then muddy the water until no one can make heads or tails of it
These are the 3 rules of national media (rules, not laws, you may find rare exceptions)
A common misconception is that it is all about making money; news outlets report on fluff because that is what gets the ratings...this is incorrect.
Think about GE, they own NBC, MSNBC, etc..., but visualize a pie chart if you will of GE's assets (aviation, appliances, energy, oil and gas, water treatment, Healthcare technology, security, finance, rail and finally media and entertainment)
The NBC/MSNBC/CNBC portion of that pie chart is rather small compared to any of the other industries listed. The Purpose of the NBC/MSNBC/CNBC assets is not to make money, but to protect the other assets. (sure money can and will be made, but if the reporting of MSNBC threatens one of the other main assets then MSNBC will always be trumped)
Consider The NY Post and The Washington Times, these news papers lose millions of dollars a year (and they have been losing money for years) So why the heck would anyone want to own these? Influence, plain and simple.
The 'Thank You For Smoking' view of the media is incorrect. That being that the media is an organic entity that reacts to the world around it (with profit as a main motivator). The national media is not organic, it does not reflect reality, it creates reality and it dictates what can and cannot be discussed.
notice I have not once mentioned the mainstream media. All national media is mainstream media. From ABC News (which is owned by Disney) to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now (who is published by Disney). There are some local reporters at small newspapers and local affiliates who are just honest folks trying to get the story, but their reporting remains quarantined in their local markets.
'What about the liberal media?"
It is true that most people that work in the news industry would describe themselves as liberal/progressive, but it is incorrect to say the media is pushing a liberal agenda.
The executive at Disney has more power then the executive at ABC News. To look at the news media and see a bunch of liberals working there and then concluding that the news media is pushing a liberal agenda is kind of like walking into McDonalds and noticing teenagers mopping the floor, running the grill and operating the cash register and then proclaiming that 'McDonalds is pushing a teenager agenda.'
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