Bourgeois media

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Revision as of 00:30, 23 June 2022 by Jucheguevara (talk | contribs) (→‎Support for war: added source)

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]

Media consolidation in the US

United States

Another infographic with more logos of subsidiaries

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][13]

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.[14][15][16]

Alternatives

See also

References

  1. Lenin (1917). Draft Resolution On Freedom Of The Press. [MIA]
  2. "The American Empire and its Media". Swiss Policy Research.
  3. Corporate Media: the Enemy of the People by Paul Street on CounterPunch on Aug 17, 2018
  4. After 20 Years of Failed War, Corporate Media Still Give Wars of Empire a Pass by Robin Andersen on CounterPunch
  5. Nickie Lousie (2020-09-18). "These 6 corporations control 90% of the media outlets in America. The illusion of choice and objectivity" techstartups.com.
  6. Alan Macleod (2021-11-15). "Revealed: Documents Show Bill Gates Has Given $319 Million to Media Outlets" Mintpress News.
  7. Claire Goforth (2019-10-25). "PragerU is conservatism for the youths—brought to you by old billionaires"
  8. "Right-Wing Views for Generation Z, Five Minutes at a Time".
  9. Alan Macleod (2021-06-18). "With Bezos at the Helm, Democracy Dies at the Washington Post Editorial Board" MintPress News. Archived from the original.
  10. The (im)proper meshing of the corporate media and the military-industrial complex
  11. Push for War Highlights Need for Independent Media
  12. Corporate Media Are Erasing US’s Long-Term Culpability for Afghanistan War on TruthOut
  13. Jimmy Dore. "Unhinged Pro-War Maniac Rant Welcomed On MSNBC" The Jimmy Dore Show.
  14. Corporate media attacks Progressive candidates after Democratic Debate
  15. Bias Against Progressive Candidates Evident in Corporate Media Coverage of Democratic Primary
  16. The People vs. the Democratic Establishment: The Coming Attack on Progressive Candidates