Trouble for Nexstar Merger That Would Create Mega-Network for MAGA
FCC chair Brendan Carr approved a merger creating “the largest broadcast conglomerate in US history.” And he did so at the behest of his boss.
Three Massive Funds Control a Chunk of Most Media:
Maybe that's why you might not have heard of them
Putting the interests of capital writ large above all else is the Big Three’s job.
FCC Fights First Amendment and ‘Democracy Itself’
Allowing allegedly local broadcast firms to acquire even more stations will put control over news in still fewer, more corporate hands.
‘Google Is Able to Profit Extraordinarily Off of Not Having Competition’:
CounterSpin interview with Lee Hepner on Google monopoly
“Google has maintained its monopoly position, not necessarily by having a superior product, but by blocking out rivals.”
Lee Hepner on Google Monopoly, Shayana Kadidal on Guantanamo Plea Deal
Does the company that “corners the market” do so because people simply prefer what they sell? The anti-monopoly ruling against Google challenges that idea of how things work.
How Sinclair Sneaks Right-Wing Spin Into Millions of Households
While millions of Americans are subjected to Sinclair’s electioneering, few know it. That’s because, like a chameleon, the TV network blends into the woodwork.
‘Independent, Culturally Relevant, Trusted Local Sources Are the Way’
“It’s just absolutely evident, if you go around the country, that we’ve seen the impact of consolidation, as it’s already progressed, on squashing diverse voices and really lifting up primarily conservative ones.”
Basav Sen on Biden Climate Policy, Hannah Sassaman on Prometheus v. FCC
The disasters of climate disruption have next to no relationship to what corporate media say is “feasible” to address them.
‘That Loss of Privacy Is the Monopoly Price’
“They should be treated with skepticism; as much as we love their products, as much as we depend on them—and so many of us still do—it’s also healthy to cast a skeptical eye on them. And to recognize the problems that technology can’t solve.”
Jessica Martinez on Gutting Worker Protections, Mitch Stoltz on Breaking Up Big Tech
Workers in fields, factories and hospitals, endangered by the pandemic, are now held up as pawns, as some lawmakers look to make workers’ health and safety a “tradeoff” for Covid relief.
GateHouse’s Takeover of Gannett: Bad News for Journalism and the Planet
This sort of consolidation means fewer resources for reporting, usually fewer reporters, and less informed attention to local affairs.
‘The Merger Would Increase Prices—and You Don’t Have to Take Our Word for It’
“The potential applications of 5G are very exciting. However, if we can get to the same place, without having to raise prices on folks who are going to be disproportionately affected, then we shouldn’t.”
Dean Baker on Trump’s Trade War, Leo Fitzpatrick on Wireless Merger
It’s true that the administration is both internally divided and intentionally ambiguous on trade policy and its impacts. But what does that mean for reporters’ responsibility?
When India Tries to Regulate Amazon, US Media Qualms About Monopoly Disappear
While commentators are at least beginning to worry about Amazon’s emerging monopoly here at home, this concern does not extend to countries like India, exposing the underlying neocolonial disposition of corporate media.
Free the Free Press From Wall Street Plunderers
The demise of the real news reporting by our city and regional papers is a product of their profiteering owners–the new breed of fast-buck hucksters who’ve scooped up hundreds of America’s newspapers from the bargain bins of media sell-offs.
‘Nobody Should Be Trusted With That Level of Power’
“They want people thinking, and voting, on the basis of, ‘What’s best for me for easy shopping,’ not, ‘What’s best for me as a worker?'”
That Facebook Will Turn to Censoring the Left Isn’t a Worry—It’s a Reality
Progressives should not necessarily shed tears for Alex Jones, but they should be aware that their media is next in line, and that Jones’ deplatforming sets a dangerous precedent that is already being used against them.
‘AT&T Only Buys Time Warner Once in a Lifetime’
“The DoJ cannot make the net neutrality argument while at the same time Trump’s FCC is tearing down net neutrality.”
Nilay Patel on AT&T/Time Warner Ruling, Sam Menefee-Libey on J20 Update
It’s true the government didn’t make much of a case, and that the judge doesn’t seem to understand how the internet works; but the deeper truth may be that we need to fundamentally rethink our antitrust approaches to a media/tech industry that is every day more influential.
Who Will Take on the 21st Century Tech and Media Monopolies?
Waves of consolidation in the technology, telecom and entertainment industries have concentrated power over media content and delivery into just a handful of companies. Today, there are only a few dominant players in each industry.
