Two Short Films Show Exactly How Your News Is Controlled

The current corporate and government media networks are structured in a way that makes certain everybody across the country receives the same information. The consolidation of the media has left the power to sway the nation’s thoughts in fewer and fewer hands.

If you have any doubt that news is disseminated from the top, take a look at the video above. It contains clips from broadcasts all over the country. If the networks provide standardized narratives and stories for something as meaningless as buying Christmas gifts for yourself, how much influence do you believe they exert over things that really matter?

The second film shows multiple examples of the same stories being broadcast across multiple television news networks. Fox ABC, and other networks read from the same script. If  different companies in the media use their influence to push simple agendas like those in the examples, how much coordination takes place to influence you to support a war? Elect a leader? Surrender your rights? It’s time to end the monopoly over the media.

The monopoly grows in power almost daily. In 2011, this was the state of media consolidation in the United States:

This makes your support of the independent media more critical than ever. It doesn’t have to be monetary support. You can use  your social media networks to share articles, tell your friends about indie media outlets, or you can even volunteer with some media outlets. Sleeper Cells will soon introduce a program that allows readers to get involved in the process of reviewing, sourcing, and fact checking their favorite documentaries or radio shows on the web. Other outlets have intern programs. You could always start your own website; TFC will happily offer advice and syndication services for free to help build quality indie news sites.

It’s time for everyone to join the infiltration. Be the media.