Verbal Jazz is still independently owned, for now...
A Federal court has ordered a stay on the relaxed media ownership rules, passed by the FCC, with virtually no public input, earlier this year. That means that Fox cannot yet buy more TV stations, thus virtually controlling the media output. Quite simply, media conglomeration, is a weakening of the First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech. Sure you can argue all you want about free markets, but the last time I checked, people were to be afforded more freedom than markets and corporations. If Fox is the only "fair and balanced" source of news, then Bill O'Reilly becomes a moderate and the flow of information is effectively controlled.
Once the rules are relaxed, Verbal Jazz will be bought out by a media conglomerate (or media Borg, if you will) and you will slowly notice that:
1. Media conglomeration is a good thing because free market forces have created a voice that people want to hear (as opposed to the voice that bought the means of bringing its views to the public).
2. The Bush administration does no wrong.
3. Anyone with a remotely liberal worldview is a no-good, terrorist supporting, America hating, treasonous, scandalous lout who probably has some deviant sexual practices that need to be investigated by Justice Department.
4. Security is more important than civil liberties.
5. The Ten Commandments belong in Federal Buildings.
6. Bill Clinton should go to jail for bearing false witness (Commandment # 8) about adultery (Commandment # 6) while George W. did not necessarily break Commandment #8 in order to commit troops to break commandment #5 (while said troops also had commandment #5 broken unto them).
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A Federal court has ordered a stay on the relaxed media ownership rules, passed by the FCC, with virtually no public input, earlier this year. That means that Fox cannot yet buy more TV stations, thus virtually controlling the media output. Quite simply, media conglomeration, is a weakening of the First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech. Sure you can argue all you want about free markets, but the last time I checked, people were to be afforded more freedom than markets and corporations. If Fox is the only "fair and balanced" source of news, then Bill O'Reilly becomes a moderate and the flow of information is effectively controlled.
Once the rules are relaxed, Verbal Jazz will be bought out by a media conglomerate (or media Borg, if you will) and you will slowly notice that:
1. Media conglomeration is a good thing because free market forces have created a voice that people want to hear (as opposed to the voice that bought the means of bringing its views to the public).
2. The Bush administration does no wrong.
3. Anyone with a remotely liberal worldview is a no-good, terrorist supporting, America hating, treasonous, scandalous lout who probably has some deviant sexual practices that need to be investigated by Justice Department.
4. Security is more important than civil liberties.
5. The Ten Commandments belong in Federal Buildings.
6. Bill Clinton should go to jail for bearing false witness (Commandment # 8) about adultery (Commandment # 6) while George W. did not necessarily break Commandment #8 in order to commit troops to break commandment #5 (while said troops also had commandment #5 broken unto them).
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