In 1987, the mass media was controlled by 50 corporations. In 1999, mass media was controlled by ten corporations. By 2011, six key conglomerations owned all mass media. These conglomerates own TV stations, Radio stations, Publishing Cos., and have Online holdings. How can we not be influenced by them? Here is a look (at the end of the article) at the big six and where they have power in mass media. They have the monopoly on: TV, Radio, Online, and Publishing.

In the beginning of television, there was a rule, set by Congress, that networks could not own their shows. They could only own a certain percent of the shows they aired. The lobbyists, for the networks, worked for many years to allow them to own their own shows. The networks lobbied for Fin-syn (financial interest and syndication rules). The networks cried and grumbled that they would be unable to profit if they were not allowed to own their own shows. In 1995, the rule of networks owning their own shows was rescinded by Congress. Although networks resisted for a few years, they began to exploit their newly found freedom.  They made independents and studios pay to put their shows on the networks. Their mantra was “Profit before programming”. 

Remember when people bought newspapers to find out the “real” news in depth? Today, we have the Internet newspapers to obtain news. Ratings have now reached what people want to read. For example, when one clicks on an article to read in an online newspaper, it is counted. The number of hits a story receives, allows the newspaper to discover what kind of news people want to read. 

Many complain that there is too much violence on TV, but the ratings for violent shows are too lucrative to change the genre. Ratings mean revenue, and revenue means profit.

If one were to ask a newscaster if he or she slanted the news, you would hear a hue and cry about how no one tells them how to report the news. “Freedom of Press”. Think about this objectively. If a newscaster were to have a different opinion from the owner of the network, would that person be hired? It is guaranteed that the newscaster was carefully screened before the job offer. News on TV is biased. The network owners hire newscasters that have their political beliefs. 

Mass media depend upon ratings for programming. Do they influence us? In a certain way, they do. They pick content based on popular ratings. If a million viewers tune into “Criminal Minds” (very violent), and 300,000 tune into “The Middle,” which show would have more spin-offs? (Note: This is just a “what if” statement and not fact).

Who chooses the type of shows we watch? We do, with ratings and “commercial” purchases. After all, the network corporations look at earnings, not “good” programming.

Below is the Big Six. This information is quite eye-opening. It gives us an idea of why we see and hear the same messages over and over again when watching television, listening to radio, or reading newspapers online.

1.) General Electric – Revenue $157 billion in 2009

General Electric media-related holdings include television networks NBC and Telemundo, Universal Pictures, Focus Features, 26 television stations in the United States and cable networks MSNBC, Bravo and the Sci Fi Channel. GE also owns 80 percent of NBC Universal.

*Cable: NBC Entertainment, NBC News, NBC Sports, NBC Television, NBC Universal, CNBC, CNBC World (Arabia, India, Asia, Europe), MSNBC, Bravo, SyFy Channel, Telemundo, USA, Oxygen, Weather Plus, Mun2, Sleuth, Chiller, Universal HD, A&E Networks (16%; include A&E, the History Channel, History en español, the Biography Channel, Military History Channel, Crime & Investigation Network, A&E HD, the History Channel HD, History International), the Weather Channel (partial), SyFy Channel HD.

*Programming: NBC Network News, NBC Universal Global Networks, NBC Universal International Channels, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Dateline NBC, Meet the Press, Early Today, CNBC, Squawk Box, Mad Money, CNBC World, CNBC Arabia, CNBC-India TV-18, Hardball with Chris Matthews, the Rita Cosby Specials Unit, Morning Joe, Mun2, Sleuth, A&E [partial], the History Channel [partial], the Biography Channel (partial), ShopNBC (27%).

2.) Walt Disney Corporation: Revenues for 2009 $36.1 billion

The Walt Disney Company owns the ABC Television Network, cable networks including ESPN, the Disney Channel, SOAPnet, A&E and Lifetime, 277 radio stations, music and book publishing companies, production companies Touchstone, Miramax and Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios, the cellular service Disney Mobile, and theme parks around the world.

3.) News Corporation (Murdoch). 2009 revenues $30.4 billion

News Corporation’s media holdings include, the Fox Broadcasting Company; television and cable networks such as Fox, Fox Business Channel, National Geographic and FX; print publications including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and TVGuide; the magazines Barron’s and SmartMoney; book publisher HarperCollins; film production companies 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Blue Sky Studios; numerous websites including MarketWatch.com; and non-media holdings including the National Rugby League

4.) Time Warner Corporation: $25.8 billion

Time Warner is the largest media conglomerate in the world, with holdings that include, CNN, the CW (a joint venture with CBS), HBO, Cinemax, Cartoon Network, TBS, TNT, America Online, MapQuest, Moviefone, Warner Bros. Pictures, Castle Rock and New Line Cinema, and more than 150 magazines including Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Marie Claire and People..

5.) Viacom: Revenue $13.6 billion in 2009

Viacom holdings include: MTV, Nickelodeon/Nick-at-Nite, VH1, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, Atom Entertainment, and music game developer Harmonix. Viacom 18 is a joint venture with the Indian media company Global Broadcast news.

6.) CBS Corporation: Revenue $13 billion in 2009

CBS Corporation owns the CBS Television Network, CBS Television Distribution Group, the CW (a joint venture with Time Warner), Showtime, book publisher Simon & Schuster, 30 television stations, and CBS Radio, Inc, which has 130 stations. CBS is now the leading supplier of video to Google’s new Video Marketplace.    

(Source:http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main)