The proper way to deal with Rush, Hannity and the media wingnuts: Break the media oligopoly!

[backscatter712]

Hey, and we don't have to encroach on the First Amendment to do it!

The big problem is that the vast majority of radio stations, TV stations, cable channels, newspapers, etc. etc. etc. are owned by six companies: Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, News Corp, Bertelsmann AG and General Electric. Companies like Clear Channel, as well as these six companies, have made political, not economic, decisions as to the content that is on their media outlets. On my radio dial here in Denver, there is one progressive talk station that airs Randi Rhodes and Rachel Maddow, and at the same time, there are several right-wing stations that broadcast Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and so on.

Left wing stations in various parts of the country have been shut down - not because they weren't making money, but because of their message. They're replaced by other formats, or by right-wing stations with a fraction of the listeners.

The owners of the media don't care - they've got plenty of money, they have interests that make it worth eating a loss to ensure that we hear the right-wing message. The pro-corporate, pro-fascist message. They can do this because they have the market cornered. They own almost all the traditional media in this country, and they can muscle out dissenting voices.

So if you want to shut up Rush Limbaugh, there's a simple way to do it - Congress can pass legislation to tighten up the media ownership rules. Force Clear Channel to sell their radio stations. Force the big six to sell their media outlets, and not to each other. Ensure that the market isn't monopolized by six companies. Make sure that there are dozens, maybe hundreds of businesses in the industry. When that happens, all of the sudden, the rich right-wing assholes that want more for them and less for us won't have the resources to put Rush on half of the radio dial. Other voices will be able to make themselves heard, and maybe the fourth estate will start doing its fucking job!