Does the US media serve the public or is it a HR dept. for the ruling class?

[tenderfoot]

I was discussing events from the late 1980s with a friend recently. We're talking race relations, predator teens, crack babies, far right extremists, etc... and noticed that things really haven't changed at all.

We then discussed the way the US media covered progressive movements, the anti-war protests during W, Occupy Wall St., the women's march etc. and noticed that they seemed to bend over backward to undermine every one of them.

So I ask, do they serve the public or the masters?

You tell me.

Thank you in advance.

8 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	The US Media does its best to serve the public
	0 (0%)
	The US media does its best to "both sides" everything insuring that nothing bad happens to the ruling class
	4 (50%)
	Other
	4 (50%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Sucha NastyWoman]

1. So what are they saying.

Don’t trust the media?

Isn’t this how QAnon type groups got started?

[tenderfoot]

3. Uh what?

[Sucha NastyWoman]

5. What's the first and most crucial thing Fox taught its viewers?

Don’t trust anybody but us.

[Celerity]

7. you are falsely equating actual critical thinking to RW gaslighting

[FoxNewsSucks]

2. they don't even do a reasonable

"both sides"

They are clearly protecting the ruling class, which owns the media. And protecting the republicons, which the ruling class also owns.

[jcgoldie]

4. I don't think either

The media are capitalists... they compete to sell newspapers (well get viewers or listeners mostly these days)... of course that includes sensationalism, horse races, both siderism, etc... but none of this is some aristocratic plan its just capitalism at work... and just like in other areas, capitalism doesn't always "serve" the people.

[Klaralven]

13. The function of the media is to sell eyeballs to advertisers

There are other alternatives, such as:

- selling subscriptions to viewers, e.g. Bloomberg terminals,

- individually or organizationally funded propaganda outlets, e.g. the Mercers and Parler,

- support by charitable donations, e.g. PBS to some extent.

But these are typically small and/or specialized media outlets.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. Institutions in this culture serve the status quo, that's all.

[msongs]

8. the rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor - L. Cohen nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. It's a flawed poll. Your brush is far too broad and the paint is too thick.

[stillcool]

10. Both...

depends on the source. Frustrating that so many people are dependent on one source, and it's the television. You'd think it was something new, but it isn't. Media is influence. I remember reading a long time ago, the super-rich always own a newspaper, a bank, and enough investments that their money does all the work for them, so they never touch the principle. That book was written in the 60's. Not much has changed. Even though media and finance has been consolidated to 'too big to fail' proportions, the same people probably still owe the largest shares.

[Mariana]

11. The US media exist to make money.

They'll do whatever they think will best achieve that goal.

[Kaleva]

12. I agree. MSM is a for-profit business first and foremost.

It is up to us to get the truth as best we can by reading, watching or listening to many different sources.

[Nimble_Idea]

14. You know it's all for the corporate trash

when TV is beat, and it is now....there will be a chance. Look how hard they tried with the Hunter laptop lmao and still didn't control the narrative this time. FAKE NEWS!! no one gives a flying f about them anymore.

[pat_k]

15. Completely fail to tap into empathy for intolerable conditions.

Even when media outlets bother to cover any of the following, the underlying message is that we can't do anything about it. There is no truth about the power of the people to shape the social and economic system. "Neutrality" = Zero empathy. The human element is injected far too rarely.

Dehumanizing accumulation of wealth at the "top" financed by the "bottom" in negative wealth territory. (even more obscene than income inequality).

The abomination of under funded schools that serve as a massive barrier. It is fueled by racism. (Why "waste" money on "them" )

Failure to afford all residents the most minimal level of collectively funded health care.

No meaningful action on climate change.

A broken justice system and resultant mass incarceration.

Homeless on our streets.

Failure to provide access to effective means of treating opiate and other destructive addictions.

And so many other things.

Related thoughts on the ingredients that are missing -- that "our" messaging needs to correct.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=620481

[IcyPeas]

16. they will do whatever keeps viewers eyes on their tv.