Ownership of Media Devalues Democracy

OWNERSHIP OF MEDIA DEVALUES DEMOCRACY
[SOURCE: Ventura County Star, AUTHOR: Ernest A. Canning]
[Commentary] Actor Tim Robbins wrote, “The very structure of our conglomerated media system conspires against real journalism, and hence, the truth. And without access to the truth, democracy withers.” Nowhere is the problem more acute than the manner in which we operate elections. The corporate media, especially electronic media, have a vested interest not only in whom we elect but how we elect. By failing to provide in-depth, meaningful coverage of links between candidates and issues that truly matter to the vast majority of Americans, i.e., the middle and working classes; by focusing solely on those candidates whose electoral success will not threaten the media conglomerate bottom line; even then limiting coverage to poll numbers and abstract observations about “viability,” the media conglomerates have enhanced the existence of a corrupt electoral system in which candidate access to the public can only be secured by the expenditure of millions of dollars spent on expensive, 30-second spot ads, and where only those candidates who are backed by wealthy corporations need apply.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/opinion/article/0,1375,VCS_125_5352...