General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDoes the US media serve the public or is it a HR dept. for the ruling class?
I was discussing events from the late 1980s with a friend recently. We're talking race relations, predator teens, crack babies, far right extremists, etc... and noticed that things really haven't changed at all.
We then discussed the way the US media covered progressive movements, the anti-war protests during W, Occupy Wall St., the women's march etc. and noticed that they seemed to bend over backward to undermine every one of them.
So I ask, do they serve the public or the masters?
You tell me.
Thank you in advance.
7 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited | |
The US Media does its best to serve the public | |
0 (0%) |
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The US media does its best to "both sides" everything insuring that nothing bad happens to the ruling class | |
4 (57%) |
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Other | |
3 (43%) |
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0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided. | |
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Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll |
Sucha NastyWoman
(2,759 posts)Dont trust the media?
Isnt this how QAnon type groups got started?
tenderfoot
(8,438 posts)Sucha NastyWoman
(2,759 posts)Dont trust anybody but us.
Celerity
(43,734 posts)FoxNewsSucks
(10,435 posts)"both sides"
They are clearly protecting the ruling class, which owns the media. And protecting the republicons, which the ruling class also owns.
jcgoldie
(11,657 posts)The media are capitalists... they compete to sell newspapers (well get viewers or listeners mostly these days)... of course that includes sensationalism, horse races, both siderism, etc... but none of this is some aristocratic plan its just capitalism at work... and just like in other areas, capitalism doesn't always "serve" the people.
Klaralven
(7,510 posts)There are other alternatives, such as:
- selling subscriptions to viewers, e.g. Bloomberg terminals,
- individually or organizationally funded propaganda outlets, e.g. the Mercers and Parler,
- support by charitable donations, e.g. PBS to some extent.
But these are typically small and/or specialized media outlets.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,512 posts)msongs
(67,496 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,547 posts)stillcool
(32,626 posts)depends on the source. Frustrating that so many people are dependent on one source, and it's the television. You'd think it was something new, but it isn't. Media is influence. I remember reading a long time ago, the super-rich always own a newspaper, a bank, and enough investments that their money does all the work for them, so they never touch the principle. That book was written in the 60's. Not much has changed. Even though media and finance has been consolidated to 'too big to fail' proportions, the same people probably still owe the largest shares.
Mariana
(14,863 posts)They'll do whatever they think will best achieve that goal.
Kaleva
(36,395 posts)It is up to us to get the truth as best we can by reading, watching or listening to many different sources.
Nimble_Idea
(1,803 posts)when TV is beat, and it is now....there will be a chance. Look how hard they tried with the Hunter laptop lmao and still didn't control the narrative this time. FAKE NEWS!! no one gives a flying f about them anymore.
pat_k
(9,313 posts)Even when media outlets bother to cover any of the following, the underlying message is that we can't do anything about it. There is no truth about the power of the people to shape the social and economic system. "Neutrality" = Zero empathy. The human element is injected far too rarely.
Dehumanizing accumulation of wealth at the "top" financed by the "bottom" in negative wealth territory. (even more obscene than income inequality).
The abomination of under funded schools that serve as a massive barrier. It is fueled by racism. (Why "waste" money on "them" )
Failure to afford all residents the most minimal level of collectively funded health care.
No meaningful action on climate change.
A broken justice system and resultant mass incarceration.
Homeless on our streets.
Failure to provide access to effective means of treating opiate and other destructive addictions.
And so many other things.
Related thoughts on the ingredients that are missing -- that "our" messaging needs to correct.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=620481