Bourgeois media is means of communication (usually news media) that is owned, controlled, or otherwise serves the interests of the bourgeois class.[1][2] Bourgeois media can be either state-owned, such as UK's BBC or Qatar's Al Jazeera, or for-profit media, such as AT&T-owned CNN. In common political discourse, the term "corporate media" is also used to specifically refer to means of communication controlled by for-profit corporations promoting their own interests.[3][4]
United States
In the United States, 6 corporations control 90% of all of broadcast media.[5] Individual billionaires also bankroll their own propaganda outlets, ranging from liberal Democrats like Bill Gates[6] to right-wing oil billionaires behind the anti-communist PragerU.[7][8] Additionally, one of the richest individuals in the world, Jeff Bezos (the owner of Amazon), owns and controls the Washington Post in order to promote his own financial interests.[9]
Support for war
As US General Smedly Butler said, war is a racket. The corporations that own the media are usually the beneficiaries of this racket, either directly through investments, or indirectly through the economic activity as a result of imperialist war.[10][11][12]
Attacks against progressive candidates
Despite the fact that many "progressives" are merely social-democrats who do not challenge the capitalist system, they're still attacked by the corporate media for weakly threatening the control that corporations hold over society.[13][14][15]
Alternatives
See also
References
- ↑ Lenin (1917). Draft Resolution On Freedom Of The Press. [MIA]
- ↑ "The American Empire and its Media". Swiss Policy Research.
- ↑ Corporate Media: the Enemy of the People by Paul Street on CounterPunch on Aug 17, 2018
- ↑ After 20 Years of Failed War, Corporate Media Still Give Wars of Empire a Pass by Robin Andersen on CounterPunch
- ↑ Nickie Lousie (2020-09-18). "These 6 corporations control 90% of the media outlets in America. The illusion of choice and objectivity" techstartups.com.
- ↑ Alan Macleod (2021-11-15). "Revealed: Documents Show Bill Gates Has Given $319 Million to Media Outlets" Mintpress News.
- ↑ Claire Goforth (2019-10-25). "PragerU is conservatism for the youths—brought to you by old billionaires"
- ↑ "Right-Wing Views for Generation Z, Five Minutes at a Time".
- ↑ Alan Macleod (2021-06-18). "With Bezos at the Helm, Democracy Dies at the Washington Post Editorial Board" MintPress News. Archived from the original.
- ↑ The (im)proper meshing of the corporate media and the military-industrial complex
- ↑ Push for War Highlights Need for Independent Media
- ↑ Corporate Media Are Erasing US’s Long-Term Culpability for Afghanistan War on TruthOut
- ↑ Corporate media attacks Progressive candidates after Democratic Debate
- ↑ Bias Against Progressive Candidates Evident in Corporate Media Coverage of Democratic Primary
- ↑ The People vs. the Democratic Establishment: The Coming Attack on Progressive Candidates