Crooked Media says Turner Television

[Young]

If You think it's Bad now look at what Turner suggests is about to happen....if you can't see that it's bad then you've got Your eyes Closed.


http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/...407.turner.html

[Comrade]

This is just laughable. I really love these cries of censorship, yet, somehow, I am still reading their articles. If you buy into stuff like this, then you have Your Eyes Closed™.

[Young]

Ted Turner is a Liar?

Did You even Read the Article?

[Comrade]

Yes, I read the article.

[Young]

They bought Turner out to close the Door off....Now Our news comes from the Major Corporation owned Media.

[Scribbler1]

The biggest concern I have is not what the conglomerate-owned media outlets are doing, but what they CAN do. Don't the people EVER get it? Nobody does anything quickly anymore, as they learned some time ago to let people "get used to" a slowly evolving situation so at any given time it seems normal. Some people complain about how government has changed, or society's morals have eroded, but most don't and the reason is that it "seems" normal to them. Those with a stake in any kind of change that would be unpopular know what the public outcry would be and just take their time and make these changes gradually.
For example, we take the quality of our air as a given, it's nasty but whaddya gonna do. Besides, we're "used to it". But hop into the old time machine and bring an American from 100 years ago into the here and now and watch him retch when he takes his first lungful. Then watch him call for the execution of all parties responsible for the pollution.

So the media giants take their time and slowly shift their programming towards whatever they want. Do they like conservatives? Easy to subtly shift the focus of their programming towards their guy. Or, what if they like (gasp) LIBERALS? That's easy too! Of course a few people will notice it but most wont, and the few who do will just argue the point on the internet and be dismissed as cranks.
It's just another example of the frog and the pot of water story, and even the people who bitch about how society has changed for the worse don't even get it.

That's the future problem. The more immediate concern is the tendency for big corporations to think with the mind of the CEO and that could cripple diversity. These days we pay lip service to the idea of the U.S. owing its very existence to diversity but not that many welcome it today, which makes us a poorer society for it. Example: Howard Stern vs. Clear Channel. You dislike Stern, "hooray Clear Channel". You like Stern, "Boo Clear Channel". No big deal, right? Now take your favorite radio host or TV personality (either political side) and have him booted off his radio network, which is owned by a company (or group of companies) which controls 90% of the "public" airwaves. Where does your guy go? THEN you'd yell censorship but it would be too late as most of your fellow Americans would see the situation as "just the way it is". Scary, huh?

I use the Clear Channel story for a reason. Of course it's fine to give the gate to someone you don't like when YOU own the company. That is your absolute right. But what if you owned ALL the companies?

[Young]

Then the People would Know only what You told them.

Nice post Scribbler...Thanks

[Comrade]

If the TV was the only place to get your news from, that would be a problem.

[Young]

Well the ease of which TV can give news is so attractive that it makes it the main source for the masses and they trust what they are shown more than they would their grip on what they'd read...besides once TV is controlled then they'll move on Newspapers and Radio.

[Comrade]

So start up your own news service and never sell out.

[Young]

They have the Money and Power to Buy & or force you out.

[Compugasm]

Starting from his billboard and radio business, to CNN, he "came within one move of owning every link up and down the media chain." Yeah Ted, try to create a monopoly, then complain you couldn't lock up the market. At the same time your saying it's allowed, and you can't do it.

He says we've gone from the "Father Knows Best" to "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?". So, he's blaming the industry for following the addage "Sex sells" and "If it bleeds, it leads"?

I'm just finding a lack of sympathy for Ted. I remember when programming would "sign off" and the national anthem would play. Cartoons were ONLY on saturday morning. Now with 400 some channels I don't see Teddies problem.

Howard Stern has a market. It's the fault of such SuperStations for not reacting quickly enough to consumers demands. Then, blame the govt for censorship and not meeting the consumers demands... aw, I give up. Shut up Ted. The very system you burn in effigy made you rich. We'll make sure to NOT watch CNN if you wish and search out the smaller independant news as you suggest.

[Young]

Turner doesn't own CNN anymore....and he never had a strangle hold as you suggest on Media. You didn't like the message and chose to shoot the messenger.

[Compugasm]

Originally posted by young, he never had a strangle hold as you suggest on Media.

Yes, "Within one move" wasn't close enough. I'm sorry Ted couldn't lock up that last media property and kill any storys he saw fit as the majority stockholder.