We Need to Call Out Corporate Influence in the Media

Public broadcasting has become more and more reliant on corporations to fund them. Although this is a way for public broadcasting to have money in order to survive as a medium, corporate control is very problematic and gives those in positions of power control over the media. What is sacrificed when major corporations take control of mainstream media organizations?

One aspect that is taken away by a network, publication or other form of media is control over what the audience can watch. If the corporation that owns the public broadcasting programs don't like the content being shown, they will take it down. For example, say a broadcasting station was owned by a fossil fuel company. If the station wanted to air a show or segment about environmental issues, and focus on global warming/climate change, they would get shut down. This is because it goes against the values of the fossil fuel company and the program would expose wrongdoing by that company.

Corporate funding of public broadcasting really eliminates the "public" access aspect because the ability to see or hear this important information is becoming limited. Major media conglomerates only care about expanding their control and the money they obtain from that. 777 rule, anyone? Guess we forgot about that one.

Also, in more recent news, President Trump is planning on eliminating federal funding for public broadcasting, which would target more rural and local television, radio and newspapers. According to The Nation, what's interesting about these cuts is that the stations being eliminated are those who supported Trump during the election. The impact of this cut could be isolating rural cities from any media at all.

Corporations and media conglomerates need to be called out for their control on the news. There is information the public is not being exposed to because of this control, and that needs to be addressed. Also, we have a president who is controlling the media by eliminating free access for rural communities, which should not be accepted.