Forget "MSM", forget "Corporate Media": Use the "P" word

[ariellyn]

PRIVATIZED Media.

The reality is, the airwaves that were supposed to be owned by the people of this country, have been bought and sold to the highest bidders.

Privatization has been the demise of many an undertaking. Just read Greg Palast's book, "The Best Democracy Money can Buy" to see how privatization worked overseas. Or look at what happened with energy privatization in Cal-EE-FOH-NEE-YA.

** is currently trying to privatize social security by floating the notion of an ownership society--but the crooks in power avoid using the P-Word, because they know privatization is a dirty word. It has grown to mean taking from the masses to enrich the few.

There should be some way to constitutionally challenge this theft since it's become all too apparent that criminal activity runs rampant without a watchdog media to represent the interests of the citizens.

So for now, at least call the media by the dirty name they want us to avoid. Maybe then people will see that it's not a liberal media or a conservative media that is the problem. Privatization is the problem.

ON EDIT: Don't hesitate to attach the P-word to voting either. Same principle applies.

[Protagoras]

1. Be sure to send all your friends a copy of

The Corporation. That'll wake some of em up pretty quick.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

2. On this one I don't agree.

I think a state-owned media is even more open to abuse. I think health-care and education should be provided by the government, but information should be spread horizontally, not vertically.

[ibid]

7. I agree - but that means we need the Fairness Doctrine - which Reagan

killed in the 80's by changing the regulations.

Reagan then veto'd the bill the Congress passed to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in the FCC rules.

[iconoclastNYC]

3. Has US media ever not been in private hands?

It's Corporate Media, they are shilling for the corporate agenda: fascism and war.

[morgan2]

4. all media is privatized for the most part

in the paradigm of "privatized" and state controlled media, I'll take privatized anyday.

[sweetheart]

5. Plural media

The fact is, that in a given population sample, will be conservatives
(small c), liberals, libertarians and authoritarians, all of varying
degrees. In this sense, a responsible public media offers these
classing flavours of editorial viewpoint as part of public broadcasting.

The problem is not in who owns it, but that the public assert its
right to demand that those airwaves serve the public interest(s).
In that sense, america has been corrupted by something the framers
were not aware of when they created the constitution.
Electronic media, and entertainment propaganda have so strongly
influenced the public mind, that it has created a dangerous situation
of collective groupthink and abuse, repated over and over in a
culture of abuse.

A news company, has a public obligation, much like a doctor with the
hipocritical oath. However, our modern corporation has no such
obligation, and has only 1 amoral objective, to stuff their shareholders
pockets with the largest entertainment marketshare.

Surely in future civilizations, historians will look back at this
gross failure in governance, that the public abdicated responsibility
for its own public goods and got what it deserved, a failed state.

[Toots]

6. A stretch indeed and not a good one

Sounds like you are advocating for a State run Media (non-privatized). There are some things government should do and there are other things it should not do. Delivering the news is one thing it should not do. That is sort of what is going on at the moment. The corporate Media and the Government have formed an unholy alliance and now we get propaganda. Not a good talking point at all IMHO.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

8. Privatization is the problem?

Sorry, no it isn't.

I'd say a media run by the Bush administration would be much more of a problem than anything. Wouldn't you agree?

The media has always been "privatized" in the United States -- and oh yes, there were once days when it could've been correctly classified as "liberal". Your entire argument is odd.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. I'd like to see another "p" word in use also: PROPAGANDA --

which is what much of our news seems to be.

[misanthrope]

12. How 'bout...

..."pusillanimous?"

[DeepModem Mom]

13. That word is another shoe that fits! NT

[cascadiance]

15. That's the word I was thinking of entering this thread too...

[anitar1]

10. Excellant Advice, Thank You! n/t

[earth mom]

11. Sorry but I like "Corporate Media" better.

IMHO-most people make the connection alot quicker than when using the word "Privitized". For example, my MIL didn't get it when I used the word "Privatized" and I had to explain it to her. She does gets "Corporate" or "Corporate Owned". Just my .02 cents. :shrug:

[knowbody0]

14. Nuzak

[earth mom]

17. What is that supposed to mean?

[knowbody0]

18. like "Muzak" elevator music

[earth mom]

19. Are you replying to my post or the OP?

:shrug:

[knowbody0]

20. your post

[napi21]

16. Media should be in the private held sector, BUT it should NOT be

a PROFIT CENTER! I think that's where everything went wrong. The news used to be considered a public service and owed to the public by every radio & TV network. Somewhere along the line, that phylosophy changed and the networks decided these news broadcasts should pay their own way, make a profit, and get high ratings! That's why you see the Michael Jackson trial, the latest police street chase, and Terri Schiavo in the top headlines. Heck, most all agencies don't even employ investigative reporters anymore. All they have now are pretty hair people who are able to read a teleprompter.

The networks need to go back to the news being a public service. The ratings will take care of themselves.