Too Few Control Too Much Information for the Rest of Us (by Norman Horowitz for HuffPost)

[marmar]

Norman Horowitz
Too Few Control Too Much Information for the Rest of Us
Posted July 19, 2007 | 08:57 AM (EST)


I wrote this and it was published in the Los Angeles Times as an op-ed article over seven years ago. Think "Wall Street Journal" as you read it. NOTHING good has happened since regarding media diversity.


January 3, 2000

Merger mania puts a few moguls in a position of deciding what we know about our culture and our politicians.

The expansion of News Corp. and Fox, the mergers of Disney and ABC and of Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting and the pending merger of CBS with Viacom are not in the best interests of the citizens of the United States.

If it is not allowed for an entity to own a newspaper and a radio station in the same market, why should these giant media companies be allowed to speak with as many voices as they do in so many situations in the United States? It doesn't make sense. And the fact is, the greater the power of these organizations, the greater their predisposition to abuse.

Ask yourself this: Is it a good idea for Rupert Murdoch to control the Fox Network, 15 TV stations, Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Family Channel, 20th Century Fox, Fox Animation, Fox Searchlight, the New York Post, the Times of London, HarperCollins, the Weekly Standard, Mushroom Records and much more?

Is it a good idea for Time Warner Chairman Gerald Levin to control the WB Network, HBO, TNT, TBS, CNN, CNNfn, CNNsi, Cinemax, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, Hanna-Barbera, CastleRock, Time, People, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, 28 other magazines, Warner Books, Little Brown, Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic, Elektra, Sire, Rhino, Time Warner Cable and much more?

Is it a good idea for Disney's Michael Eisner to control ABC-TV and ABC Radio, 10 TV and 30 radio stations, ESPN, Disney Channel, A&E, E!, Lifetime, Miramax, Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Hyperion Press, ESPN Magazine, Walt Disney Records, Lyric Street Records, the Go Network of Internet sites and much more?

Is it a good idea for CBS' Sumner Redstone to control Infinity Broadcasting (163 stations), 34 TV stations, UPN, MTV, TNN, Nickelodeon, Showtime, Paramount Pictures, Paramount TV, Spelling Television, Simon & Schuster, Blockbuster videos, SportsLine and much more?

Prior to the mergers and consolidations, there were significant numbers of theatrical and television production and distribution companies financed in a variety of ways. They are virtually all gone today. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-horowitz/too-few-control-too-much-_b_56873.html

[Totally Committed]

1. Too Few Control Too Much EVERYTHING for the Rest of Us

But, information could be a good place to start.

TC

[marmar]

2. Very true....

:think:

[C_U_L8R]

3. Don't Watch. Don't Buy.

Something that simple can be a revolutionary act.

[blm]

4. This is what happens when Dems join GOPs in service to secrecy and privilege.

The citizen is no longer a factor in our government, and it is the media's job to make sure they stay a nonfactor.

Democrats who want to make a difference need to support anti-corruption, OPEN GOVERNMENT Democrats and kick the secrecy and privilege crowd to the curb.

Truth and accountability matter.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/111106.html