The power of the media. (CNN, regular, companies, elect)

[Redshadowz]

I enjoyed this video put out by CNN. But not for the obvious reasons.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwmVWWQQx2A


I felt like it was an admission of the power of the media in controlling/shaping public-opinion. And the premise put forward by CNN aimed at conservative networks, could just as well apply to anyone else.


Who are the media anyway? Do they represent the people?

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by Redshadowz

....Who are the media anyway? Do they represent the people?

If you want to find out about media source X, start doing some homework if you want to know.

Media "represent the people"????????? These are businesses or partisan projects, not elected offices. At best a media source finds a supportive audience in its regular readers or viewers and in that somewhat vague sense may be said to represent those people.

[Redshadowz]

Originally Posted by kevxu

Media "represent the people"????????? These are businesses or partisan projects, not elected offices.

I guess I should have asked whether they were a reflection of the sentiments of the people?

Basically, do the people set the narrative, and the media responds to them? Or does the media set the narrative, and the people respond to them?


I think there is an assumption that the media primarily depends on viewers. And thus, the consumer has the power, insofar as they can always change the channel. But, it seems like the media companies answer far less to the people than they do to the advertisers.

It is seemingly-impossible to be a media company if you can't attract large corporate advertisers/supporters/donors/etc.

So, aren't media companies just corporations who are sponsored/supported by other corporations? Basically, they are private for-profit businesses, supported by other private for-profit businesses. And they must serve these private-interests, or be cast into oblivion.


Thus, it is always the business-interests that hold the real power, whether they do so directly through donations, or through advertising, or other methods. The media are just another arm of corporate power.

Why is it any surprise that the media is one of the most-hated institutions in this country?

But what can be done about it?