Ne News
16 December 2017
It is almost Christmas, and people around the world are spending money on Christmas gifts for loved ones. The media is coming out with the annual "War on Christmas" (it should be noted is that there is no "war" on Christmas, as it was only created to sell papers or attract viewers); and no doubt there is news on Kim Kardashian or some celebrity who is famous for being famous. But one news story that has gone under the radar is the repeal of Net Neutrality by the Republican-controlled FCC (Federal Communications Commission), which voted 3-2 to get rid of net neutrality (for the record, the two dissenting voices were Democrats, but no doubt that this would not get a mention in the media in the United States of America).
When he was running for President, Donald Trump promised to "drain the swamp" that is Washington D.C., but he is getting rid of a free press and freedom of speech, and not a mention from the media (the large media conglomerates such as Comcast or the large owners of local stations such as Sinclair Broadcasting, which has an editorial that could be best described as far-right and pro-Trump). As noted by Reed Richardson from FAIR, Sinclair Broadcasting, which is the largest TV owner in the United States has a track record of colouring its news to favour right-wing ideology (https://www.globalresearch.ca/net-neutrality-repeal-is-only-part-of-trumps-surrender-to-corporate-media/5622835), and in May 2017, it proposed a massive acquisition of Tribune Media, which is the fifth largest local TV owner in the United States, and this would give Sinclair Broadcasting over 200 local TV stations and broadcast access to three out of every four homes in the United States of America.
In other media news, there is a possibility that most of 21st Century Fox will be sold to The Walt Disney Company, which includes the film studio 20th Century Fox, FX Networks, National Geographic Partners, regional sports networks, and its international networks. This includes properties such as The Simpsons, Modern Family and Homeland among others (https://tvtonight.com.au/2017/12/disney-buys-21st-century-fox.html) as well as film series such as X-Men (which is a series based on a Marvel Comics series, and Marvel is owned by Disney). There is a possibility that Disney would have too much power after this acquisition (just like how the Australian-born American media baron Rupert Murdoch has too much power as well or how the big media conglomerates have too much power already).
Of course, this war on the free press and free speech is not limited to the internet. Another issue that has flown under the radar is the Trump administation forcing U.S. visa seekers to provide five years of social media history just to be considered for a visa. This could mean that if you criticise American foreign policy, then you would not be allowed in the United States. This would mean that people who want to go to the United States of America, you would be required to practice self-censorship and not say anything controversial on social media; and if you say anything controversial, then you would be prevented from entering the country. And this is coming from the so-called "champion of democracy".
In Australia, the Federal Government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull watered down media ownership rules by abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule that was in place since 2006 (the government claimed that the "two-out-of-three" rule is from the 1980s and not reflective of the modern media landscape such as digital television, internet and subscription television). It is worth noting that the abolition of these media laws was the goal of the far-right wing think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, which was point 27 of their seventy-five point plan (https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/ipa-review-articles/be-like-gough-75-radical-ideas-to-transform-australia), which also talks about breaking up the ABC and putting each of its functions to tender, as well as the privatisation of SBS (points 50 and 51 respectively). It is worth noting that the IPA was founded by Sir Keith Murdoch (the father of Rupert Murdoch) after talking to Sir Robert Menzies.
And in addition, community television is being forced online by the government on the claim that the future of broadcasting is online, with licences in Melbourne (C31 Melbourne), Adelaide (Channel 44) and Perth (WTV) running out in a few weeks; and there is a strong possibility that this will also happen to community radio on the same grounds.
And in 2017, one of the "Big Six" of the American media (CBS Corporation, which is owned by National Amusements, which also owns Viacom) purchased Australian television station Network Ten (https://tvtonight.com.au/2017/11/cbs-now-owns-ten.html) and there is a strong possibility that more American conglomerates will buy Australian assets, and reduced voices in the Australian media landscape.
We are witnessing a War on the Free Press and Free Speech, but this is not being reported by the mainstream media, which wants us to focus our attention on a non-existent "War on Christmas" which was designed to sell papers and advertising space. This is the reason why we need to protect our voices from the homogenisation of the media by the large media conglomerates based in the United States of America who wants us to focus on Kim Kardashian and not the war on the free press and free speech.
You can check out additional articles on Net Neutrality from https://www.globalresearch.ca/selected-articles-is-it-the-demise-of-online-digital-democracy/5622891.
16 December 2017
It is almost Christmas, and people around the world are spending money on Christmas gifts for loved ones. The media is coming out with the annual "War on Christmas" (it should be noted is that there is no "war" on Christmas, as it was only created to sell papers or attract viewers); and no doubt there is news on Kim Kardashian or some celebrity who is famous for being famous. But one news story that has gone under the radar is the repeal of Net Neutrality by the Republican-controlled FCC (Federal Communications Commission), which voted 3-2 to get rid of net neutrality (for the record, the two dissenting voices were Democrats, but no doubt that this would not get a mention in the media in the United States of America).
When he was running for President, Donald Trump promised to "drain the swamp" that is Washington D.C., but he is getting rid of a free press and freedom of speech, and not a mention from the media (the large media conglomerates such as Comcast or the large owners of local stations such as Sinclair Broadcasting, which has an editorial that could be best described as far-right and pro-Trump). As noted by Reed Richardson from FAIR, Sinclair Broadcasting, which is the largest TV owner in the United States has a track record of colouring its news to favour right-wing ideology (https://www.globalresearch.ca/net-neutrality-repeal-is-only-part-of-trumps-surrender-to-corporate-media/5622835), and in May 2017, it proposed a massive acquisition of Tribune Media, which is the fifth largest local TV owner in the United States, and this would give Sinclair Broadcasting over 200 local TV stations and broadcast access to three out of every four homes in the United States of America.
In other media news, there is a possibility that most of 21st Century Fox will be sold to The Walt Disney Company, which includes the film studio 20th Century Fox, FX Networks, National Geographic Partners, regional sports networks, and its international networks. This includes properties such as The Simpsons, Modern Family and Homeland among others (https://tvtonight.com.au/2017/12/disney-buys-21st-century-fox.html) as well as film series such as X-Men (which is a series based on a Marvel Comics series, and Marvel is owned by Disney). There is a possibility that Disney would have too much power after this acquisition (just like how the Australian-born American media baron Rupert Murdoch has too much power as well or how the big media conglomerates have too much power already).
Of course, this war on the free press and free speech is not limited to the internet. Another issue that has flown under the radar is the Trump administation forcing U.S. visa seekers to provide five years of social media history just to be considered for a visa. This could mean that if you criticise American foreign policy, then you would not be allowed in the United States. This would mean that people who want to go to the United States of America, you would be required to practice self-censorship and not say anything controversial on social media; and if you say anything controversial, then you would be prevented from entering the country. And this is coming from the so-called "champion of democracy".
In Australia, the Federal Government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull watered down media ownership rules by abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule that was in place since 2006 (the government claimed that the "two-out-of-three" rule is from the 1980s and not reflective of the modern media landscape such as digital television, internet and subscription television). It is worth noting that the abolition of these media laws was the goal of the far-right wing think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, which was point 27 of their seventy-five point plan (https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/ipa-review-articles/be-like-gough-75-radical-ideas-to-transform-australia), which also talks about breaking up the ABC and putting each of its functions to tender, as well as the privatisation of SBS (points 50 and 51 respectively). It is worth noting that the IPA was founded by Sir Keith Murdoch (the father of Rupert Murdoch) after talking to Sir Robert Menzies.
And in addition, community television is being forced online by the government on the claim that the future of broadcasting is online, with licences in Melbourne (C31 Melbourne), Adelaide (Channel 44) and Perth (WTV) running out in a few weeks; and there is a strong possibility that this will also happen to community radio on the same grounds.
And in 2017, one of the "Big Six" of the American media (CBS Corporation, which is owned by National Amusements, which also owns Viacom) purchased Australian television station Network Ten (https://tvtonight.com.au/2017/11/cbs-now-owns-ten.html) and there is a strong possibility that more American conglomerates will buy Australian assets, and reduced voices in the Australian media landscape.
We are witnessing a War on the Free Press and Free Speech, but this is not being reported by the mainstream media, which wants us to focus our attention on a non-existent "War on Christmas" which was designed to sell papers and advertising space. This is the reason why we need to protect our voices from the homogenisation of the media by the large media conglomerates based in the United States of America who wants us to focus on Kim Kardashian and not the war on the free press and free speech.
You can check out additional articles on Net Neutrality from https://www.globalresearch.ca/selected-articles-is-it-the-demise-of-online-digital-democracy/5622891.
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