January 31, 2023FC

How News Is Controlled and Manipulated by the Powerful

The media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and informing the public about current events. While big mass media is a main influencer of public opinion and culture, it is not always a neutral purveyor of unbiased information. In fact, the media is often controlled and manipulated by the powerful to serve their own interests.

One of the main ways that the media is controlled is through ownership. A small number of large corporations own most of the major news outlets in the United States, and these corporations often have close ties to political and economic power. The news that ends up being reported is often influenced by the interests of these corporations and the people that run them.

Another way that the media is controlled is through advertising. News outlets rely on advertising revenue to survive, and advertisers have the power to influence what is reported. For example, if a news outlet runs a story that is critical of a company that is a major advertiser, they may lose that advertiser’s business. As a result, news outlets may avoid running stories that could be critical of major advertisers, their funding source.

The media is also controlled by powerful individuals and groups that use their influence to shape the news. For example, politicians and government officials often use their access to the media to promote their own interests. They may use their power to influence what is reported, or to prevent certain stories from being reported at all. Similarly, wealthy individuals and groups may use their money and influence to shape the news in their favor. The information presented as fact by the corporate media is a carefully calculated narrative designed to keep the same small group of powerful people in power.

One of the most dangerous ways that the media is manipulated is through disinformation and propaganda. Governments and powerful groups may use disinformation, or false information, to mislead the public and shape public opinion in their favor. They may also use propaganda, or information that is biased or misleading, to promote their own interests.

The corruption of the media has serious consequences for democracy and for the public’s right to know the truth. When the media is controlled and manipulated by the powerful, the public is not getting accurate and unbiased information. This makes it difficult for the public to make informed decisions and hold their leaders accountable. Big Media is owned by a small number of billionaires and corporations.

The billionaires who own most of the news:

  • Jeff Bezos – The Washington Post – Net Worth: $125.4 billion
  • Warren Buffett – BH Media Group – Net Worth: $107.9 billion
  • Carlos Slim Helu – The New York Times – Net Worth: $92.5 billion
  • Michael Bloomberg – Bloomberg News – Net Worth: $76.8 billion
  • Cox Family – Cox Enterprises – Net Worth: $33.6 Billion
  • Sheldon Adelson – The Las Vegas Review-Journal – Net Worth: $29.8 billion
  • Donald and Samuel Newhouse –  Advance Publications – Net Worth: $23 billion combined 
  • Rupert Murdoch – News Corp – Net Worth: $18.3 billion
  • Barbey family – Reading Eagle Company and The Village Voice – Net Worth: $7.3 billion
  • Patrick Soon-Shiong – Tribune Publishing Co. – Net Worth: $6.7 billion
  • Viktor Vekselberg – Gawker – Net Worth: $5.4 billion
  • Joe Mansueto – Inc. and Fast Company – Net Worth: $5.3 billion
  • John Henry – The Boston Globe – Net Worth: $4 billion
  • Mortimer Zuckerman – US News & World Report – Net Worth: $2.5 billion
  • Stanley Hubbard – Hubbard Broadcasting – Net Worth: $1.7 billion

The 6 billionaires who own social media:

  • Elon Musk – Twitter – Net Worth: $181.3 billion
  • Bill Gates – LinkedIn – Net Worth: $101.4 billion
  • Mark Zuckerberg – (Meta) Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp – Net Worth: $54.7 billion
  • Zhang Yiming – TikTok – Net Worth: $49.5 billion
  • Pavel Durov – Telegram – Net Worth: $15.1 billion
  • Evan Thomas Spiegel – Snapchat – Net Worth: $2.8 billion

The 9 billionaires that own the largest share of streaming services:

  • Jeff Bezos – Prime Video – Net Worth: $125.4 billion
  • Brin Sergey – YouTube (Google) – Net Worth: $82.8 billion
  • Warren Buffett – Paramount+ (Paramount Global) – Net Worth: $107.9 billion
  • Steven O. Newhouse – HBO Max (Warner Bros. Discovery) – family Net Worth: $30 billion
  • Arthur Levinson – Apple TV+ – Net Worth: $1.2 billion
  • Brian L. Roberts – Peacock (Comcast)  – Net Worth: $1.5 billion
  • Michael D. Eisner – Hulu and Disney+ – Net Worth: $1 billion
  • Richard H. Kimball – Netflix – Net Worth: $10,591 million
  • Joseph Levin – Vimeo (IAC) – Net Worth: $156 million

Because of mergers and acquisitions, there are now only five major media giants: Warner Bros. Discovery, Comcast, Disney, News Corp, and Paramount Global. According to estimates 90% of the media in the US is controlled by these corporations.

Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO, CNN, TBS, TNT, TCM, OWN, HGTV, Cinemax, and Magnolia Network. 

Comcast owns Sky Group, NBC Network, NBCUniversal, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Telemundo, TeleXitos, Cozi TV, Bravo, E!, USA Network, Peacock, DreamWorks Animation, and XUMO. 

Disney owns Pixar, Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox, Fox Networks Group, ABC, Lucasfilm, Searchlight Pictures, Hulu, ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX, and National Geographic. 

News Corp owns News UK, Dow Jones & Company, Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Barron’s, News Corp Australia, New York Post, The Times, and The Sun.

Paramount Global owns Miramax, CBS, The CW, BET, VH1, MTV, CMT, Comedy Central, Showtime, Nickelodeon, Flix, Pluto TV, and Simon & Schuster.

Photo by Davey Rockwell is licensed under CC BY 2.0