-
It's that time of year again - our ISP is asking for money. If you have some spare change, please click the Donate link... Thanks!
- About Us
- Search
- Need Help?
- Donate
- Login/Register
Latest Entries
Actions Menu
Blog Roll
- 4F Facebook Page
- Turn Up The Night with Kenny Pick
- Stephanie Miller Show
- The Tim Corrimal Show
- The Rachel Maddow Show
- Angry Americans with Paul Rieckhoff
- Thom Hartmann Program
- Turnips! Fans of Turn Up the Night Facebook Page
- Snopes.com
- Factcheck.org
- Official White House Page, if you must.
- The Brad Blog / Green News Report
- The Poorly Written Political Blog (Joe Santorsa)
Fight Back Against Media Consolidation
Author: livingonli
Date: 12/15/2007 09:33:45
Greetings fellow bloggerinos. I’m filling in for Tri who’s off on a little expedition. A little weekend with the scouts in the cold while another nor-easter bears down upon us. I guess I prefer my creature comforts. 
One thing about me is that I have been following the media for many years, and not just because I work in the industry. And the one thing that has been a very disturbing trend has been the concentration of ownership in fewer hands. It seems like as the number of options has increased between cable/satellite TV, satellite radio, digital TV and HD radio, the number of companies providing content has decreased considerably from the 30 companies that controlled most media when Ben Bagdikian first wrote The Media Monopoly in 1980 to about 5 or 6 today. How well are you informed about what’s going on in the world if all the information is being filtered through Disney, News Corp., GE, Viacom, Time Warner, and Clear Channel. To look at one example, here are the US Holdings of News Corp. (better known as 20th-Century Fox, whose news coverage serves as part of Rupert Murdoch’s propaganda mill). Here are their US holdings via the Wiki;
Just think all those outlets being used for right-wing propaganda and endless hours of coverage on Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. And it seems as a result that there is a lot of poorer quality fare being used to fill up all the air time on all these channels. It makes me feel like there was more to watch on TV when I was a little kid and I could only receive 7 TV stations and the big highlight was visiting the relatives in more remote areas who only got between 12 and 20 channels on their cable TV service.
If you want to make sure that this is not allowed to happen further especially with proposed new FCC Guidelines which would even further loosen what’s left of the ownership rules, go to Stop Big Media and see what you can do.
In the future, I will probably be back to write more on this matter so that we have the media that gives us the proper information to make informed decisions within a free society. And maybe with some changes in the laws under the next administration, maybe I can find good paying work again.
Well, I brought in the New York Bagels, along with ample and :coffee:, so pull up a chair, have a sip. 
and stay warm and dry if you can this weekend. The weather in the northeast will give you a good reason to stay inside. 
and 
and 
Livin'
One thing about me is that I have been following the media for many years, and not just because I work in the industry. And the one thing that has been a very disturbing trend has been the concentration of ownership in fewer hands. It seems like as the number of options has increased between cable/satellite TV, satellite radio, digital TV and HD radio, the number of companies providing content has decreased considerably from the 30 companies that controlled most media when Ben Bagdikian first wrote The Media Monopoly in 1980 to about 5 or 6 today. How well are you informed about what’s going on in the world if all the information is being filtered through Disney, News Corp., GE, Viacom, Time Warner, and Clear Channel. To look at one example, here are the US Holdings of News Corp. (better known as 20th-Century Fox, whose news coverage serves as part of Rupert Murdoch’s propaganda mill). Here are their US holdings via the Wiki;
Books
• HarperCollins book publishing company
• Zondervan Christian book publisher
o Youth Specialties - organisation helping youth workers worldwide through training seminars and conventions, resources and the internet.
o Inspirio - religious gift production.
Newspapers
• The New York Post
• Dow Jones & Company
- Consumer Media Group
- The Wall Street Journal - the leading US financial newspaper.
- Wall Street Journal Europe
- Wall Street Journal Asia
- Barron's - weekly financial markets magazine.
- Marketwatch - Financial news and information website.
- Far Eastern Economic Review
- Enterprise Media Group
- Dow Jones Newswires - world's leading real-time news and information provider.
- Factiva - provides business news and information together with content delivery tools and services.
- Dow Jones Indexes - stock market indexes and indicators.
- Dow Jones Financial Information Services - produces databases, electronic media, newsletters, conferences, directories, and other information services on specialized markets and industry sectors.
- The Timesledger Newspapers in Queens, New York: Bayside Times, Whitestone Times, Flushing Times, Fresh Meadows Times, Little Neck Ledger, Jackson Heights Times, Richmond Hill Times, Jamaica Times, Laurelton Times, Queens Village Times, Astoria Times, Forest Hills Ledger, Ridgewood Ledger, Howard Beach Times
- The Courier-Life Newspapers in Brooklyn
- Caribbean Life
Magazines
• SmartSource
• TV Guide, via partial ownership of Gemstar-TV Guide
• The Weekly Standard (Washington, D.C.)
Studios
• Fox Filmed Entertainment: 20th Century Fox's parent company
• 20th Century Fox: a film production company
• 20th Century Fox Television - primetime television programming.
• 20th Television - primetime television distribution.
• Fox Searchlight Pictures - specialized films.
• Fox 2000 Pictures - general audience feature films.
• Fox Television Studios(productions)- market specific programming eg. COPS.
• Fox Television Studios International
o Fox World Productions
o Fox World Australia
o Fox TV Studios France
o Fox TV Studios India
o Natural History New Zealand - natural world documentaries, non-fiction programming.
• Fox Atomic - produces theatrical films, comics, and digital content targeting the 17-24 year olds. Aiming to produce/acquire eight films per year over a range of genres, specifically action and horror
• Fox Faith - Promotion and distribution of Christian and related "family friendly" movies on DVD and some theatrical release.
• Fox Studios Australia, Sydney, New South Wales
• Blue Sky Studios - production of CGI films eg. Ice Age.
• Fox Entertainment Group
• New Regency Productions (20%) - general audience feature films.
• Regency Television (50%) - mainstream television shows.
• Regency Enterprises (20%) - parent company of New Regency Productions (50%), and Regency Television (50%).
TV
Broadcast
• Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), a US broadcast television network
• My Network TV, a US broadcast television network
• Fox Television Stations Group, a group of owned and operated FOX television stations
Cable
CHANNELS
• Fox Business Network, a business news channel.
• Fox Classics, a channel airing solely classic movies
• Fox Movie Channel, an all-movie channel that airs commercial-free movies from 20th Century Fox film library
• Fox News Channel, a 24-hour news channel
• Fox Reality, a 'Reality TV'-themed channel
• Fox Sports Net, a chain of US regional cable television networks broadcasting local sporting events linked together by national sports news programming. Local channels include "Fox Sports Southwest", "Fox Sports Bay Area", etc. (some affiliates are owned by Cablevision).
• Fox College Sports, a college sports network consisting of three regionally-aligned channels
• SportSouth, a regional sports network in the United States, with its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
o Fox Soccer Channel, a United States digital cable network specializing mainly in soccer.
• FX Networks, a cable network broadcasting reruns of programming previously shown on other channels, but recently creating its own programming, including the Emmy Award-winning program The Shield.
• SPEED Channel
• FUEL TV
• Big Ten Network, college football & basketball cable channel being launched Aug 2007 (49%)
• National Geographic Channel (joint venture with National Geographic Magazine) 67%
• National Geographic Channel International 75%
Just think all those outlets being used for right-wing propaganda and endless hours of coverage on Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. And it seems as a result that there is a lot of poorer quality fare being used to fill up all the air time on all these channels. It makes me feel like there was more to watch on TV when I was a little kid and I could only receive 7 TV stations and the big highlight was visiting the relatives in more remote areas who only got between 12 and 20 channels on their cable TV service.
If you want to make sure that this is not allowed to happen further especially with proposed new FCC Guidelines which would even further loosen what’s left of the ownership rules, go to Stop Big Media and see what you can do.
In the future, I will probably be back to write more on this matter so that we have the media that gives us the proper information to make informed decisions within a free society. And maybe with some changes in the laws under the next administration, maybe I can find good paying work again.
Well, I brought in the New York Bagels, along with ample
and :coffee:, so pull up a chair, have a sip. and stay warm and dry if you can this weekend. The weather in the northeast will give you a good reason to stay inside. and and Livin'
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
BobR on 12/15/2007 14:25:00
BobR on 12/15/2007 14:25:00
Morning... :coffee2:
Good job there, Livin...
Good job there, Livin...
Comment by 
livingonli on 12/15/2007 16:17:05
livingonli on 12/15/2007 16:17:05
Thank you. 
Good morning everyone.
Good morning everyone.
Comment by 
Mondobubba on 12/15/2007 16:39:35
Mondobubba on 12/15/2007 16:39:35
hello all. Good morning! It is laundry day at Chez Mondo. :thud:
I did make purchase at the gun shop yesterday, it is black, 6 1/2" of cold iron. Check it out!
I did make purchase at the gun shop yesterday, it is black, 6 1/2" of cold iron. Check it out!
Comment by Mondobubba on 12/15/2007 22:03:20
Mondobubba on 12/15/2007 22:03:20
Slacking you all are slacking! :modbat:
Comment by BobR on 12/15/2007 23:15:38
BobR on 12/15/2007 23:15:38
back from the pre-Christmas errands. We avoided the malls, but the traffic STILL sucked.
It's also pouring outside - Sonny Perdue must have prayed again
It's also pouring outside - Sonny Perdue must have prayed again
Comment by livingonli on 12/16/2007 00:35:57
livingonli on 12/16/2007 00:35:57
It was a day here. I went out to get a few things plus pick up a gift for my Blogger Joe and it was crazy out there. Probably also compounded here by everyone trying to get their errands done before the storm hits. I really hate going out this time of year.
Now I'm just curled up with a little Hockey Night In Canada (too bad I can't get it in HD).
Now I'm just curled up with a little Hockey Night In Canada (too bad I can't get it in HD).
Comment by livingonli on 12/16/2007 05:01:10
livingonli on 12/16/2007 05:01:10
Where is everyone tonight? 
Comment by 
MMB on 12/16/2007 06:27:02
MMB on 12/16/2007 06:27:02
Wow that is the most amazing display of 6 and 1/2 inches I have ever had the honor to gaze upon!!!! Where is a ruler when you really need it!!! Use it wisely!!!! 
Comment by 
starling310 on 12/16/2007 16:24:45
The Des Moines Register has, post debate, endorsed Hillary Clinton.
starling310 on 12/16/2007 16:24:45
The Des Moines Register has, post debate, endorsed Hillary Clinton.
Comment by livingonli on 12/16/2007 17:45:42
On the other hand, who's watching football today?
livingonli on 12/16/2007 17:45:42
Quote by starling310:
The Des Moines Register has, post debate, endorsed Hillary Clinton.
On the other hand, who's watching football today?
Comment by livingonli on 12/16/2007 21:21:22
livingonli on 12/16/2007 21:21:22
Miami finally won a game. I actually would have loved to see a team go 0-16.
Comment by Mondobubba on 12/17/2007 00:31:34
Mondobubba on 12/17/2007 00:31:34
:grunt: Have I mentioned lately how much I friggin' hate my job? Free Me!
Comment by livingonli on 12/17/2007 01:23:18
livingonli on 12/17/2007 01:23:18
Free Mondo. 
Comment by BobR on 12/17/2007 01:26:40
BobR on 12/17/2007 01:26:40
More Christmas errands...
Considering we're giving everyone homemade stuff this year (food and beverages) we still managed to do a lot of running around....
and we still didn't get a tree....
Considering we're giving everyone homemade stuff this year (food and beverages) we still managed to do a lot of running around....
and we still didn't get a tree....
Comment by 
TriSec on 12/17/2007 02:05:04
TriSec on 12/17/2007 02:05:04
Well, good evening! I have returned!
Why Mondo...that's exactly the same cast iron cookery that I have. Mine's bigger though, I have a 10 incher. And a Dutch Oven, fajita pan (great for omelets!) and a wee 4 1/2 pan to sautee things in.
I probably should have brought my expedition boots, but I am pleased to report that the Maine Hunting Shoe performed as advertised in the conditions it was designed for. (And is still made right here in Maine!)
My boys had a great time, despite an incident with the Franklin stove, but thankfully only first degree. Knives, hatchets, fire, potato guns, sledding....ah, what more could a ten year old American Male want?
I'm lurking about for a few, but I'm off to bed right quick. I'm off tomorrow, it's Javi's Christmas Concert at the school, and I'll have Blogger Joe bought, packaged, and mailed by sundown.
Why Mondo...that's exactly the same cast iron cookery that I have. Mine's bigger though, I have a 10 incher. And a Dutch Oven, fajita pan (great for omelets!) and a wee 4 1/2 pan to sautee things in.
I probably should have brought my expedition boots, but I am pleased to report that the Maine Hunting Shoe performed as advertised in the conditions it was designed for. (And is still made right here in Maine!)
My boys had a great time, despite an incident with the Franklin stove, but thankfully only first degree. Knives, hatchets, fire, potato guns, sledding....ah, what more could a ten year old American Male want?
I'm lurking about for a few, but I'm off to bed right quick. I'm off tomorrow, it's Javi's Christmas Concert at the school, and I'll have Blogger Joe bought, packaged, and mailed by sundown.
Comment by livingonli on 12/17/2007 02:10:43
livingonli on 12/17/2007 02:10:43
They're nuts out there. Maybe that's why I prefer to shop online and otherwise curl up.
Comment by livingonli on 12/17/2007 02:12:01
livingonli on 12/17/2007 02:12:01
How was the weather out in nature, Tri?
Comment by TriSec on 12/17/2007 02:12:40
TriSec on 12/17/2007 02:12:40
Late, but happy Tea Party Day, everyone!
BTW, you really learn a lot about a person by seeing their car and their bumper stickers.
One of our adults is a longtime home-schooler and anti-establishment type....Ron Paul squarely on his tailgate.
Another one had a brand new "01-20-09" sticker on his car.....it was the destruction of the CIA tapes that pushed him over the edge.
And my longtime friend, naturalist, aviator, and all-around good guy was "preaching to the choir" about climate change, despite the irony of us being out in a blizzard this morning...
Anyway.
BTW, you really learn a lot about a person by seeing their car and their bumper stickers.
One of our adults is a longtime home-schooler and anti-establishment type....Ron Paul squarely on his tailgate.
Another one had a brand new "01-20-09" sticker on his car.....it was the destruction of the CIA tapes that pushed him over the edge.
And my longtime friend, naturalist, aviator, and all-around good guy was "preaching to the choir" about climate change, despite the irony of us being out in a blizzard this morning...
Anyway.
Comment by livingonli on 12/17/2007 02:35:01
livingonli on 12/17/2007 02:35:01
At least the Cowboys lost today. 
Comment by livingonli on 12/17/2007 03:26:17
livingonli on 12/17/2007 03:26:17
Raine, are you watching the Giants game? Then again, maybe you wouldn't want to.
Comment by BobR on 12/17/2007 04:00:42
Raine (busy in the kitchen) sez: Eli Manning sux!
BobR on 12/17/2007 04:00:42
Quote by livingonli: Raine, are you watching the Giants game? Then again, maybe you wouldn't want to.
Raine (busy in the kitchen) sez: Eli Manning sux!
Comment by livingonli on 12/17/2007 04:39:05
He had the most incompletions (34) tonight in the NFL since 1967. Sounds like he will be living in the shadow of his brother.
livingonli on 12/17/2007 04:39:05
Quote by BobR:Quote by livingonli: Raine, are you watching the Giants game? Then again, maybe you wouldn't want to.
Raine (busy in the kitchen) sez: Eli Manning sux!
He had the most incompletions (34) tonight in the NFL since 1967. Sounds like he will be living in the shadow of his brother.
Comment by Raine on 12/17/2007 05:25:08
Raine on 12/17/2007 05:25:08
Ugh.
And joyful happy noise as well! whatever... I was gonna post somthing here tonite about how I am feeling ... but I need a blog post for the moring... so , anyhoo....
Comment by Raine on 12/17/2007 05:29:42
Raine on 12/17/2007 05:29:42
And Liv, I want to tell you... you friggin blog ROCKED!
I certainly hope you do some more on this subject, when you want to. The basic unWritten rule is that Tuesdays are *ask A Vet* --- Tri does it better than anyone, and we want to keep taht continuity. Libertarian SATurdays, are what they are, but jeepers, Liv. you did great. I hope you become a reguler aroud these here blog poster parts... As well as you other folksd. MALA... She is my next victim!!! 
Comment by maggiesboy on 12/23/2007 13:48:15
livin-large-onli -
Sorry for chiming in so late, but being 5-7 days behind the curve is normal for me, but that gives me the advantage of posting after the fact and looking really smart.
Now that they've done it we gotta push Congress to put these media mongrels back in their kennels for good! This aggression cannot stand, man as Mr. J Lewbowski would say.
In reseaching this for my lil' radio show I found a great post on FDL that relates this move to others by the republican administration to circumvent the people's will and bypassing the legislative process, not with signing statements but by twiddling regulatory agencies like the FCC and NLRB. Check it out
Sorry for chiming in so late, but being 5-7 days behind the curve is normal for me, but that gives me the advantage of posting after the fact and looking really smart.
Now that they've done it we gotta push Congress to put these media mongrels back in their kennels for good! This aggression cannot stand, man as Mr. J Lewbowski would say.
In reseaching this for my lil' radio show I found a great post on FDL that relates this move to others by the republican administration to circumvent the people's will and bypassing the legislative process, not with signing statements but by twiddling regulatory agencies like the FCC and NLRB. Check it out