Posts Tagged ‘bailouts’

I just don’t understand this need to prop up the media organizations with federal assistance.  Some fear that we will see the industry drop in numbers and that this will, in some way, limit our freedom of speech.  So, their answer?  Let’s get the government involved!  Yup, that will cure our ills and make speech even more free and opinions much more diverse.

The WSJ has an opinion piece on why we should protect these large dinosaurs.  I have some questions.  First,  aren’t we there already? AP, NewsCorp, ABC, …  Last time I checked, most news articles that are in print or on air are produced by a select few global news organizations.  So, any government involvement will not be to prevent the pool from getting smaller, it will be in protecting the small number we already have.  And, if you are going to be one of the select few chosen to survive with the assistance of federal monies, it is only logical that the federal government get to make up some of the rules on fairness and accuracy, no?  They want that in Healthcare, Auto Bailout, and in the Financial Reform Act, so why not here,also?  Oh, but the feds will need to lean on the expertise of the industry (those select few that have the ability to spend on lobbyists) to craft the new rules.  And the cycle goes until federal help turns into a federally-endorsed oligopoly on news outlets.  Step by step, inch by inch…

So, more questions;