Rich Media, Poor Democracy

Posted by admin on September 13th, 2009 and filed under media | 25 Comments »

http://www.mediaed.org

If a key indicator of the health of a democracy is the state of its journalism, the United States is in deep trouble. In Rich Media, Poor Democracy, Robert McChesney lays the blame for this state of affairs squarely at the doors of the corporate boardrooms of big media, which far from delivering on their promises of more choice and more diversity, have organized a system characterized by a lack of competition, homogenization of opinion and formulaic programming.

Through numerous examples, McChesney, and media scholar, Mark Crispin Miller, demonstrate how journalism has been compromised by the corporate bosses of conglomerates such as Disney, Sony, Viacom, News Corp, and AOL Time Warner to produce a system of news that is high on sensationalism and low on information. They suggest that unless citizen activism can reclaim the commons, this new corporate system will be characterized by a rich media and an ever impoverished, poor democracy.

Duration : 0:5:27


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25 Responses

  1. BurnsideStudios08 Says:

    I can I join
    I can I join

  2. alxgraham Says:

    I’m BUILDING a …
    I’m BUILDING a democrazy.

  3. SterlingSadler Says:

    Nice try. Keep it …
    Nice try. Keep it up check out esteembpo + com for social media marketing. erryytuoop

  4. packrellerey Says:

    Nice try. Keep it …
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  5. nameofthepen Says:

    The media has sunk …
    The media has sunk much further than just becoming “puff entertainment”.

    It has become weaponized, and is a valuable tool of the military-industrial complex to confuse and misinform, to spread propaganda, and to manufacture consent for their crimes against humanity.

    Google CNN+PSYOPS for a start.

  6. virgy45 Says:

    Deep, deep trouble, …
    Deep, deep trouble, Friends.

  7. SterlingSadler Says:

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  8. WilmerDow Says:

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  9. packrellerey Says:

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  10. KraigPierson Says:

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  11. KraigPierson Says:

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  12. orencoates Says:

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  13. KraigPierson Says:

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  14. conservitgirl Says:

    The media is big …
    The media is big business. NBC is owned by GE. Guess who benefits for Obama ’s policies oh my GE. Who reports only fluff on Obama Hmmmm NBC maybe? If you look at the rip off of America then lets also look at the Government and the media that lets them do it with out question. Why? because they are all in it together. The Senators that voiced outrage at big business line their pockets and take money from them including Obama. people please

  15. LillianColwynnscehy Says:

    This is nice …
    This is nice video78461891

  16. MaryOMackie Says:

    LOL..Yeah right, as …
    LOL..Yeah right, as if a vote counts in any power position.
    How do you vote someone in when you can’t trust either party and they won’t let 3rd parties in?

  17. MaryOMackie Says:

    OMG PLEASE no more …
    OMG PLEASE no more religion, we have enough of that Christianity BS as it is in the crap mainstream media
    further clouding everyone’s perception to what is real!

  18. MaryOMackie Says:

    ..And at the same …
    ..And at the same time attempting to brainwash everyone to one set political establishment line,
    it’s the corporations and the government in cahoots with each other feeding us BS.
    It Fascism, essentially.
    It’s a modern day Fascism where they seem to have been on an agenda to degrade our society as much as they can in every way for decades on end.

  19. Laloe2009 Says:

    Do you want big …
    Do you want big business to continue to run the country? Do not wait until you or someone you love falls under the tyrannical rule of the insurance companies that want to crush anyone who contests their terrorizing the disabled, the injured workers, victims of exposure to toxic mold. When you are outraged let your politicians know that you will vote them out if they do not protect your constitutional rights. Do a search on gang stalking and see what is happening without free journalism.

  20. flag4eva Says:

    Thank you!
    Thank you!

  21. librexpresion Says:

    People political …
    People political decissions are based in their knowledge, and their knowledge are based on what others told them, so journalists can -and in fact does- make people choose the decission they -the jourtalists- one. And THAT’S POWER.

  22. billbroome Says:

    the fundamental …
    the fundamental characteristic of democracy is rule by the people. this is the power to direct the state without consulting politicians. if you have citizen initiative and use it you have democracy. if not, not.

    journalists are not critical, power is.

  23. 9verlie Says:

    Sharia Law and …
    Sharia Law and Islamic Democracy can save the whole world if applied properly watch this video
    Sharia Law and Islamic Democracy

  24. movielover44 Says:

    Great video. We’re …
    Great video. We’re reading McChesney in my Mass Comm & Democracy class.

  25. KeevayMusic Says:

    Prayer for America …
    Prayer for America — a Music Video of the American Dream Turned Nightmare

    In “Prayer for America,” shadow musician Catman Cohen warns of a dire future awaiting America if things do not change sooner than later.

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