THE FREE PRESS IS NO LONGER FREE
A TALE OF BILLIONAIRES, PAYWALLS AND ALGORITHMIC PUPPETEERS
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, the free press was a noble institution. It was the watchdog of democracy, the voice of the people, and the bane of corrupt politicians. But alas, those days have gone the way of rotary phones and Blockbuster rentals. Today, the "free" press is about as free as Wi-Fi at a luxury resort—technically available, but only if you can afford it.
Welcome to the dystopian media landscape of the 21st century, where billionaires own 80-90% of all major news platforms, paywalls are the velvet ropes of information, and algorithms decide what news you’re allowed to see. If you’ve ever wondered why your aunt thinks it's great that a convicted felon is the president-elect or why half the country was Googling "Did Biden drop out of the presidential race?" the last week before the election, buckle up. This rabbit hole goes deep.
The Big Six: Masters of the Media Universe
Let’s start with the "Big Six" media conglomerates—AT&T, CBS, Comcast, Disney, News Corp, and Viacom. Together, these six companies own almost everything you watch, read, or listen to. Want to binge a show on NBC? That’s Comcast. Catch up on the latest Marvel movie? Hello, Disney. Read a newspaper? Odds are it’s owned by News Corp or one of their billionaire buddies.
The combined value of these six corporate behemoths is estimated at $430 billion. For context, that’s more than the GDP of some countries. They control television networks, film studios, newspapers, magazines, music labels, video game companies, and even internet service providers. In other words, they don’t just own the message—they own the megaphone and the stage it’s broadcast from.
Billionaires: The Puppet Masters of Journalism
Behind these conglomerates are individuals whose net worths have more zeroes than a broken odometer. There’s Michael Bloomberg, who owns Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Media (because one Bloomberg wasn’t enough). Rupert Murdoch controls News Corp and The Wall Street Journal, while Jeff Bezos casually bought *The Washington Post* for $250 million—about the cost of a nice yacht.
And let’s not forget Carlos Slim Helu, a Mexican billionaire who owns the largest individual stake in *The New York Times*. Or Sheldon Adelson, who secretly bought the *Las Vegas Review-Journal* because what’s a casino mogul without his own newspaper? These billionaires aren’t just buying media outlets; they’re buying influence. And when you control the narrative, you control reality—or at least people’s perception of it.
Paywalls: The New Gatekeepers
If billionaires are the puppet masters, then paywalls are their velvet ropes. Gone are the days when you could casually browse *The New York Times* or *The Washington Post* without being bombarded by subscription pop-ups. Want to read an article? That’ll be $9.99 a month—or more if you want access to premium content.
Paywalls create a two-tiered system of information: those who can afford to stay informed and those who can’t. It’s like a modern-day version of Marie Antoinette’s infamous "Let them eat cake," except now it’s "Let them read tweets." And while social media may provide some semblance of free news, it comes with its own set of problems—namely, algorithms.
Algorithms: The Invisible Editors
Ah, algorithms—the invisible editors of our digital lives. These sneaky little lines of code decide what news you see on Facebook, Twitter, Google, and other platforms. They’re designed to show you content that aligns with your interests (or biases), which sounds great until you realize it creates an echo chamber where you’re only exposed to ideas you already agree with.
This is why your conspiracy-loving uncle thinks the moon landing was faked and why half your friends believe every political meme they see on Instagram. Algorithms don’t care about truth or nuance; they care about engagement. And nothing drives engagement like outrage.
Citizens United: The Game Changer
Of course, we can’t talk about the decline of free press without mentioning Citizens United. This 2010 Supreme Court decision essentially gave billionaires and corporations a blank check to flood the airwaves with political ads—many of which are misleading or downright false. Combine that with their ownership of media outlets, and you’ve got a recipe for mass manipulation.
It’s no wonder people are confused about what’s actually going on in the world. When billionaires control both the news and the ads that fund it, truth becomes a casualty in the battle for clicks and votes.
The Public Alternatives: PBS and NPR
Not all hope is lost. Public broadcasting services like PBS and NPR still exist as bastions of independent journalism. They’re funded by viewers like you (and some government grants), which means they’re less beholden to corporate interests. But let’s be real—they don’t have the budget or reach to compete with the Big Six or their billionaire overlords.
The Future: A Call to Action
So where does that leave us? Is there any hope for reclaiming a truly free press? Maybe—but it’ll take a collective effort. Support independent journalism by subscribing to smaller outlets that prioritize truth over profit. Push for stronger regulations on media ownership and political advertising. And for the love of democracy, diversify your news sources.
Because at the end of the day, an informed citizenry is the cornerstone of any functioning democracy. And if we let billionaires control what we see, hear, and believe, we’re handing them the keys to our collective future.
Remember: The truth may not always be profitable, but it’s always worth fighting for.
News Platform Fact Sheet, 2024 | Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-platform-fact-sheet/
These 15 Billionaires Own America's News Media Companies https://www.forbes.com/sites/katevinton/2016/06/01/these-15-billionaires-own-americas-news-media-companies/
The 6 Companies That Own (Almost) All Media [INFOGRAPHIC] - WebFX https://www.webfx.com/blog/internet/the-6-companies-that-own-almost-all-media-infographic/#:~:text=News%20Corp%20control?-,TV%20and%20Film%20Assets,owns%20a%20lot%20of%20outlets.
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