Take Action Against Two Decades Of US Media Consolidation!

What Does Media Consolidation Look Like?

Interactive map from Free Press. Since the mid-1990s, four companies have been devouring local TV stations across the United States. Hit replay to see the progression from 1996 onwards. Find out more about Free Press’s campaign to stop the wave of mergers at their website.

2013 OWNERSHIP OF LOCAL MEDIA

Sinclair owns 161 stations in 78 markets.
Nexstar owns 95 stations in 51 markets.
Tribune owns 44 stations in 35 markets.
Gannett owns 41 stations in 31 markets.

The story:  Four companies are taking over local TV stations across the U.S. Gannett, Nexstar, Sinclair and Tribune are using shell companies to dodge the federal ownership rules, consolidate their power and wipe out their competitors. In many communities, one company controls two, three and even four stations — and airs the same news programming on all of these outlets.
The result:  An echo chamber where all the news looks and sounds the same. This is the face of media consolidation today.  Stop the wave of mergers.

Take Action Now.

With a comment rescue ~

With 1% owning 50% of the wealth and controlling the committees in Congress that would regulate this activity, what can be done? We might say, "Elect different leaders." That would be nice, but gerrymandered districts throughout the states sets the bar so high that it is virtually impossible to replace anyone in Congress today. It can be done, but the incumbent has to go off the reservation of their party or implode in some way. One might then say, "We can take them to court." That is nice, but once you make it to the SCOTUS, you discover the court is controlled by the very people who believe corporations are people and they are the very ones who gave us Citizens United.
I am not a cynic. We must continue this fight, but the question remains, what can we do? One might say, "Give money to my group." The problem is the 1% have it all!
I don't think I am exaggerating much with my take on this frightful situation. I truly am asking, "What do we do?"
Answers are not easy and they are embedded in the our system.
One solution might be for some altruistic people in the 1% group to go off their reservation and make some sacrificial offerings to fight this assault in our republic. Additionally, we must continue to raise our voices and believe that democracy will work to bend the arch of history toward justice. This is our messy system.

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