Thanks to the COM352 students for contributing a bunch of new pages! I'll be moving these pages into the main area of the wiki soon.

From UMassWiki

November 2006

Media Conglomerates are running the crux of America’s Democracy. This is understandably a bold statement coming from “an American teenager.” However if we look at our current system of mass media and the news that the American public views everyday, our democracy is truly in trouble of succumbing to lesser forms of government, and the destruction of everything that we have stood for since the signing of our constitution.

To understand why the topic of breaking up media conglomerates is such a hot iron issue, the American public must comprehend what role the media is expected to play for our system of government. In theory, the mass media, such as print journalisum, news programs, and radio programs, are supposed to act as a fourth check on our system of government acting as the fourth in line of the judicial, executive, and legistrative branches of our democracy. However, in the last administration the balance of power has been grossly distorted in the favor of the executive branch, with such practices as the Patriot Act, and other intrusive acts against the freedom of people both foreign and domestic. Perhaps the most prevalent to our issue was the instatement of Michael Powell by George Bush, son of Colin Powell, to the head of the FCC, with little to no prior job experience to prove that he was the correct man for the job. His instatement as head of the FCC early in 2001 last until just recently when he resigned in March of 2005. The newly appointed chairmen, also appointed by President Bush, is Kevin J. Martin, also said to have close ties with the White House. Martin has since been accused of “being in bed with lobbyist or big business.” (Mohammed, Arshad) It is with this power that the president has had a hand in filtering what the America public does and does not see in news media.

Now that we know what it that the media is suppose to do, let’s take a look at what the modern American media has become, and why it is lacking as a fourth estate. Today only ten media conglomerates control 80-90 percent of the media we encounter each day. In fact FCC chairman Michael Copps has been quoted as saying (referring to the decision to abolish the 1975 Telecommunication act which outlawed the ownership of different media outlets in the same area):

“This decision further allows the already massive television networks to buy up even more local TV stations, so that they control up to an unbelievable 80 or 90 percent of the national television audience. Where are the blessings of localism, diversity and competition here? I see centralization, not localism; I see uniformity, not diversity; I see monopoly and oligopoly, not competition." (Kaufman, Rob)

The biggest of these conglomerates include AOL/Time Warner, Disney, General Electric, Viacom, and the News Corperation. (Miller) This means that up to ninety percent of the media the American public view is filtered by just ten media moguls that are the leaders of these media conglomerates. It is also not surprising that these ten moguls also have deep seeded connections with the white house, as well as interest in government including the war with Iraq.

One example of these conflicting interest can be seen in General Electric, who owns the majority of NBC Universal, which in it contains over twenty six major radio stations in over twenty major US cities, as well as news stations NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC, as well as other non news television oriented stations Bravo, Sci- FI, USA, and more. (http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/ge.asp) Not to mention GE has a share hold in Paxson Communication, the founders of the Home Shopping Network. Why is it important that this Media Conglomerate has to be broken up into smaller factions? The fact is that the American public cannot take News programs as complete truths when what the News has to say may be monetarily beneficial for the company providing the news, while damaging to the general public. Along with owning all these news stations, General Electric is also one of the top three military aircraft contractors, providing for companies such as Boeing, Lockheed and Martin, and GE has gained over 2.2 billion dollars in profit since Bush’s “War on Terror” has began. (Immelt, Jeffery R.) GE’s secrets do not end there, they funded over $31 million in the years 2001-2002 to law making lobbyist, and also has one of the highest paid CEO’s in the world, who also happens to be a giant contributor to the Republican party. (Immelt, Jeffery R.) These media conglomerates hide the truth from the American public to further their own riches as well as continue their hold on the government.

GE is not alone in its double dipping both as a media source, and a company striving to make money in business. There are countless other examples of companies who call themselves conveyers of news, but also have interest in other areas, or own large amount of stock in other companies that may share these interest. One reason that these issues have not been brought up is because there is little coverage on the fact that these conglomerates exist because there are few sources that are willing to report on it. Almost all my information has had to come from privately owned magazines such as The Nation, and other media outlets not tainted by “the big ten.”

These Media conglomerates must be broken up, not only because they are not a reliable source to be America’s main source of news and information, but also because they are hugely influenced by government and big business, and rather than keep the American public informed, they are driven by profits. What I ask of you members of congress is that you take measures forward to eliminate these media conglomerates that have the potential to ruin our democracy, as we know it. One thing in which supports these conglomerates, and the proliferation of such massive media corporations is the Telecommunications act of 1996. This act gave the ability for these companies to own more than one media outlet in one area which was suppose to let the free market thrive. However all that this act has accomplished is the proliferation of only a few of these companies. (http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html) In closing, I just want to take the time to thank you for reading this expression of concern over the well being of our democracy. I believe it is my job, and the job of every member of this country to question the government to be truly a good, active citizen. Hopefully the members of congress can read this letter and go about trying to end the gross injustices and problems that these big business tycoons and media conglomerates are creating for our country by reinstating many of the practices that were abolished in the instatement of Michel Powell as FCC chairman, and the Telecommunications act of 1996 induced concerning the monopoly laws concerning media regulations.

Brian Donnelly
1051 Washington St.
Walpole, MA 02081
--72.19.101.223 21:39, 5 December 2006 (EST)