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Windows XP
kjg:
quote:Originally posted by psyjax:
Actually AOL/TimeWarrner comes pretty close to this. Have you looked into them? They own most of the most popular TV stations, Magazines, Movie studios, etc. An excelent Article in the Newyorker a while back did a feture on them and when you readlize the bredth of the control they have over what you watch and think, it's like: "OMG I have been had by Big Bro.!"
Freaky really.
--- End quote ---
And it's about to get worse. Most of our news and entertainment is already under the control of about 10 mega-media companies, and a court just struck down the last couple of regulations to prevent total control by one company:
quote:Mega Media Merger Mania
A federal court ruling on Feb. 19 delivered a dramatic victory to media corporations by eliminating important restrictions on media ownership. Analysts are predicting that mega-mergers of the past will seem like small potatoes compared to the corporate deals that will be possible under the new rules.
The decision "strips away a critical part of the few remaining checks and balances on media conglomerate power," said Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy.
The ruling weakens two of the main regulatory barriers that have limited the power of television moguls. The first is a 60-year old Federal Communications Commission rule that limits the number of broadcast TV stations a single company can own. The cap is currently set so that a single company cannot reach more than 35 percent of the national TV audience. The second FCC rule prevented a company from owning both a cable channel and a broadcast station in the same city.
The decision in the lawsuit -- which was filed by four of the biggest media groups, AOL Time Warner, Viacom, News Corp and NBC -- declared these limits "arbitrary and capricious" and not in the public's best interest. The cable/broadcast restriction was fully overturned and the station ownership cap rule was sent back to the FCC for reconsideration.
Both financial analysts and consumer advocates agree that the court decision -- unless reversed on appeal or mitigated by congressional action -- will dramatically alter the media landscape. Media deals that were impossible yesterday seem all but inevitable today. America Online can now buy NBC. Comcast, which is planning to buy AT&T Broadband, could buy Disney.
The media moguls reacted with predictable enthusiasm to the decision. Paul T. Cappacio, general counsel of AOL Time Warner, told the New York Times that the rules were "an anachronism" and were "not remotely necessary to protect competition."
Consumer advocates, however, say the ruling will lead to bigger and more powerful monopolies, accelerating the current trend of consolidation. "The 'prize' these companies seek is a digital landgrab," Chester said. Under these new rules, gargantuan media conglomerates will have the power to control the flow of information and therefore shape public opinion. "It will be freedom for a half- dozen major companies, not the public," Chester said.
--- End quote ---
More here: http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12451
For even more information, check out The Media Channel's in depth guide to U.S. Media Ownership Rules at http://www.mediachannel.org/news/indepth/fcc/
While it's not specifically related to Windows, Microsoft and/or Gates, remember, Microsoft is the "MS" in MSNBC. Such deregulation will only increase Microsoft's power and reach.
Karen
psyjax:
Man! It's too scary to even think about. The scaryest thing about it is that the media can make you think you have a choice in what you watch or what you think about it but you really don't.
Candidates for government office favored by the big 10 will get more airplay so more people will vote for them. Some bamd they are trying to promote suddenly turns up everywhere etc etc.
Heck it happens already today. When Harry Potter came out CNN did these specials on the movie. I never thought muhch about it until I read the article. AOL/TimeWarber OWN CNN! They can promote their freaking movies on a NEWS channel and make it look legit. It's like tricking people into watching a huge informercial under the guise of unbiased news brodacasting.
And yes, M$ is totaly interested in becoming a big media company. Thats why they own some of the big cable distribors and that WebTV crap. They have been trying to break in, niw with the X-Shlock and other things I think they may be able to push their way in.
God save us all!
kjg:
quote:Originally posted by psyjax:
Candidates for government office favored by the big 10 will get more airplay so more people will vote for them. Some bamd they are trying to promote suddenly turns up everywhere etc etc.
Heck it happens already today.
--- End quote ---
There are those of us who think it happened already more than a year ago. Supposedly, the CEO of GE (parent of NBC) went out of his way to reward reporters who covered Gee Dubya favorably and Al Gore negatively, and punish those who did the reverse. Furthermore, he made great efforts to convince other news media to do the same. All specifically *because* he expected Bush to relax media regulation if he won.
(a relatively short excerpt from a long article)
DEMOCRACY, GENERAL ELECTRIC STYLE
http://makethemaccountable.com/coverup/Part_04.htm
quote:Shortly after George W. Bush declared his candidacy for president in June of 1999, General Electric Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jack Welch was contacted by Bush political advisor Karl Rove. Welch later informed associates that Rove told him a Bush administration would initiate comprehensive deregulation of the broadcast industry. Rove guaranteed that deregulation would be implemented in a way that would create phenomenal profits for conglomerates with significant media holdings, like GE. Rove forcefully argued that General Electric and the other media giants had a compelling financial interest to see Bush become president.
Welch told several people at GE that the conversation with Rove convinced him that a Bush presidency would ultimately result in billions of dollars of additional profits for General Electric. Welch believed that it was his responsibility to operate in the best interest of GE shareholders, and that now meant using the full power of the world
voidmain:
It's funny, I watch a lot of news and the CNN channels are extremely pro democrat, and the FOX channels are pro republican. You can pick out the same bias on the big 3.
All I gotta say is, I'm sure glad Al Bore didn't get elected. It was bad enough with 8 years of Billy Bob - Monica Gate - "I didn't have sexual relations with that woman" - "depends on the definition of *is*" - "don't ask don't tell" - Clinton, and not to mention his dog (or was it his wife) Hillary. I can't figure out how Billy Bob ever got elected, and was even more befuddled when he was re-elected. At least he was smart enough to loot the place before he left, I'll give him that.
<Let the flames begin>
[ February 24, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
psyjax:
Let's not start this debate here! Please, I get enugh of this crap elsewere.
This being a fuckM$ site lets remember good 'ol Dubyas quote on the M$ case:
"I belive in Inovation, Not litigation"
Dubya's the guy who's got the case fast traked, as well as getting rid of the proposed breakup.
I don't care who is in office really, thier all after their Kickbacks and I think Mr. Gates has a check written for Gerogie boy.
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