The Illusion of
choice
It
has recently come to my attention that 90% of American media content is owned
by just 6 companies. This was startling
for me to hear, as I was under the impression (like many of us) that media was
controlled by many different companies.
I figured that with all the different cable channels and hundreds of
different news papers and magazines, there has to be a great number of
different controlling interests.
After
learning this fact, I came to the realization that, I don't truly have the
options that I previously believed I had when it came to my consumption of
information and media. The illusion that these companies create is that you can find unbiased
and or true counter arguments in mainstream media. This could not be farther from the
truth. A particular media giant may have
to different publications that seeming have decidedly left or right wing slants
to them. The actuality is that both are
being carefully crafted to maintain the highest profits for the parent
company. Any they wouldn't dare to actually
broadcast or print something that is outside that core foundation of the parent
organization.
It
is a startling realization that even the most opposed sides of media are in cahoots
with one another. It makes me lose faith
in the news that is being printed and broadcast. It makes one wonder where they can go to get
truly unbiased and untainted information.
It is the ultimate manifestation of why the saying "don't believe
everything you read" is used. Is it is possible to read two opposing
accounts of the same happening and since both are owned by the same company
neither of them be true. The parts that
are not in the best interest of the media giant will be deliberately omitted
from both stories.
Another
related example of the same type of situation in the fast food industry. McDonalds holds or has held majority stakes
in both Quizno's and Chipotle. As the
public turned away from the tradition fast food of burger and fries, McDonalds,
in essence just re-branded themselves. I'm sure lots of people were not in
agreement with McDonalds' practises and felt they were voicing that displeasure
buy purchasing food from Chipotle and or
Quizno's. The fact is that they were
still filling the pockets of the McDonalds corporation!
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