why do people care if news agencies are owned now?

Question

I mean, we still get news, right? why does media ownership matter?

Answer 1

Well we don't get the news "right". Let me give you a reason to care. Imagine if you were a large corporation doing underhanded things, you wouldn't want the rest of the world to know about your evil scheme. Therefore you buy the information source to make sure they say exactly what you want them to say to sway the public's opinion about your corporation. With this power you are able to instill any emotion you want over the entire nation, fear, hope, insecurity, hatred, prejudice, whatever you want. Then turn around and make yourself the saviour of everyone from the lie you made the world believe as truth. The fiction becomes your own fantasy imposed upon the world while real events are taking place, people are suffering, your product is deforming or killing people, and no one knows. You pay the news agencies to never report the truth and remove anyone who is brave enough to go against you. Soon we are living in science fiction novel gone bad, everyone suspecting anyone different from them because we've been told they are the enemy, while the real enemy gets stronger by our division. Before we know it something horrible happens that would've been prevented if we had only known the TRUTH!

Answer 2

Ownership of the media has a lot to do with with what lemming follows whom, and it is generally the person that is closest to their own views and their pocketbook!

I remember a Chicago Newspaper that had a lot to do with calling for war in Vietnam because of Communism and the whole area would go commie if South Vietnam was lost. This view was propounded by Truman and the conflict in Korea, not to JFK or LBJ like most think!

Answer 3

It's always been owned by someone. Now it appears that people believe that those who own it set the agenda. Which is possibly true. However, look at the BBC which is government owned and gotten in some trouble for bias reporting. I think the main problem with the media is they are now trained to believe they are (in the US) the 4th branch of government instead of solely purveyors of truth.

Answer 4

The less diverse the ownership of media, the fewer and more provincial is the news presentation.

A large number of different sellers maximizes diversity --which is better for the quality of news disseminated than production EFFICIENCY (which is the quality maximized by oligopoly).

Answer 5

Now?! They've been owned for quite some time. You don't think advertising revenue was going back into the product 110%, do you? People will believe what they want to believe no matter where they get their news.

Answer 6

because you hear of reporters and editors quiting every now and then because they were asked to do something that violated their "ethics"...

ultimately... the owner decides what goes on air, or makes it in the paper... they can pull anything they want for no reason...

now, most media tries to work very hard to make sure that no bias gets in... because it's usually pretty clear when it does get in and people generally stop watching/buying the paper if it happens, which means you're out of business...

so it happens... but probably not that much...

Answer 7

By owned I assume you mean by the government. Take a look at communist societies. Their news media is owned by the government to prevent what they deem negative influence, and promote their cause.

Answer 8

It's the way the news is potrayed. The news station may be pro left wing and push the issues the way they want them to go. It's the perspective in which it's given.

Answer 9

thats why........


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