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onenote

(42,581 posts)
19. "Six media giants now control a staggering 90 percent of what we read, watch or listen to'
Sun Oct 31, 2021, 05:42 PM
Oct 2021

That's the claim. And its staggeringly untrue and silly.

It ignores some of the most heavily subscribed to and read newspapers and magazines. It ignores radio stations (what we "listen to" ). It ignores social media companies. It lists entities that have been de-consolidated, like Time Magazine from the other Warner entities, like Miraxmax from Disney, etc.)

It claims that the "Big Six" control 70% of "your cable" -- even though only one company that offers multichannel video programming distribution service (Comcast) is on that list -- and it represents less than 20 million of the 78 million MVPD customers (and its share is dropping as people cut the cord and rely on streaming services). And if the reference to "your cable" is supposed to be a reference to cable programming networks (like CNN, HBO, ESPN, etc), the list includes Time Warner, which doesn't own cable networks any more, and doesn't include the owners of some of the most widely distributed cable networks: ATT, Discovery, Weather Channel to name a few. It also doesn't include the 4000+ non-commercial educational FM radio stations or the 380 noncommercial educational television stations.

Other graphics are equally absurd. USA Today, not the Wall Street Journal, is the largest US paper by circulation (and leaves WSJ in the dust if you add online to print). I don't know whether Clear Channel ever owned 1200 stations, but its successor, iHeartRadio, owns 858 stations -- a fraction of the nation's 6680 FM commercial stations and 4500 commercial AM stations (to say nothing of the aforementioned 4000 noncommercial stations) and online "radio" services. And I guarantee that Clear never owned all of the radio stations in Minot ND.

Even if nothing had changed since this goofy meme was first published 11 years ago, it would be nonsensical and lacking in any reference to substantive data to back up its claims. Yet folks here have been citing it for years as if it was gospel.

"Press" is just another business. DURHAM D Oct 2021 #1
I don't regard "Axios" as representing the entirety of "the press." onenote Oct 2021 #2
I don't think it reflects what will happen in '22. Elessar Zappa Oct 2021 #10
It has been obvious since Carter, the Media hates Democratic and loves the authortarian Republicans. ShazamIam Oct 2021 #3
Don't think most are rooting for Dem loss. Besides, saying it's close, etc., might just GOTV. Hoyt Oct 2021 #4
another question... why does the press prefer right wingers in power? tenderfoot Oct 2021 #5
The media is only as liberal as the conservative corporations that own it. bumper sticker. -nt CrispyQ Oct 2021 #9
They have been all along - especially during the late 1930s/early 1940s tenderfoot Oct 2021 #14
Simple answer: ret5hd Oct 2021 #6
Wow! Amazing infographic. CrispyQ Oct 2021 #13
Amazingly inaccurate, you mean. onenote Oct 2021 #16
The graphic title reads Media Consolidation, not News Media Consolidation. CrispyQ Oct 2021 #18
"Six media giants now control a staggering 90 percent of what we read, watch or listen to' onenote Oct 2021 #19
Because they think when the fascists win it will be business as usual. CrispyQ Oct 2021 #7
Why is the press rooting for a Democratic loss in Virginia? LenaBaby61 Oct 2021 #8
It's pretty simple, they want Trump back BannonsLiver Oct 2021 #11
All of their analysis has been that the Republicans will pull off an upset karynnj Oct 2021 #12
How is reporting on the closeness and the risks of the VA Gov race "rooting"? brooklynite Oct 2021 #15
for one, the exaggerated claims about the McAuliffe campaign in a panic LymphocyteLover Oct 2021 #23
Because they love rewarding themselves with lazy punditry Lawrence454 Oct 2021 #17
Horserace. They want a horserace nt RFCalifornia Oct 2021 #20
This close race means higher ratings... Wounded Bear Oct 2021 #21
And we get to be permanently stressed out RFCalifornia Oct 2021 #22
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