Internet Control and Media Future. 1 / 3

PlayList PART 1+2+3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUNNztmYHks&feature=PlayList&p=4556CDF...

June 06, 2008
Democracy Now!

... Media Reform ...

PART 1 of 3
Robert McChesney and Josh Silver of Free Press on the National Conference for Media Reform

Nearly 3,000 people have come from across the nation for what's become known as the most important gathering of the growing movement for media reform. Participants will hear lectures, take workshops and strategize on efforts to fight media consolidation and democratize the airwaves. Speakers include Dan Rather, Bill Moyers, Arianna Huffington, Van Jones, Naomi Klein and dozens more.


How did we end up with a media system like this? In a democratic society with a wonderful Constitution, with a great tradition of liberty, how did we end up with a media system which has denigrated local coverage, which has given us a lot of fluff and hyper-commercialism. How did we end up with a media system controlled by a handful of corporations driven by commercial values? This was not intended by the founders. There's nothing in the Constitution authorizing this. And it's not a free-market system. It is clear that it was a system set up by the government with direct and indirect subsidies made in the public's name but without its consent, going back to the foundation of broadcasting, when really powerful interests pushed through the commercial system with very little public support. The problem is just as severe now. In fact, it's getting worse.

It's an epic battle that's happening right now, and essentially what it is is the cable and phone companies, they control 98 percent of internet connections in the country, high-speed. They are trying to pass legislation that would allow them to block content, so they can decide which websites move fast and which move slow. This actually really is the question of: will the internet become like cable TV, where they, the phone and cable companies, determine what's on, how fast it goes and how much it costs? Or will it be open and democratic, the way it is today? This is not a conspiracy theory. Comcast, the cable giant, was just recently caught blocking content of movie downloads that competed with their own products.

But what's really important, getting back to the bigger picture here, it's millions and millions of people are understanding that these rather technical arcane issues are really about whether or not the American people are going to have access to the facts, whether they're going to have access to critical journalism that they need to be participants in a democracy. The only way we're going to win is if we have millions of people continue to get involved, to raise their voices and to demand better media, because if we don't, we're going to lose, and the corporations will seize control of the internet and the future of the media for generations.

PlayList PART 1+2+3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUNNztmYHks&feature=PlayList&p=4556CDF...

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[rojanieves]

The Internet is one of the most important democratic tools of our time. If we the people are ready too fight for it. Dont stop downloading... and dont stop searching.

"we the people are the goverment" never forget that.

[USoldOutCanadians]

i contacted every newspaper in canada

for months about a 11 year old kid impregnated by a judge ,i never got one reply not one ,,how can that be possible ,,these videos show the same smoke and daggers that every one is complaining about ,the very people that don,t run story's ,,are the ones crying for their jobs because people are sick of them,3000 of the biggest lairs and traitors in history is the real story,,Take care

[woshishui007050]

that professor's hair looks like his jst woke up.

[TheAngryAmericanwon]

we can't let Corporate Greed take over our internet, one day you will log on and the next day you won't be able to. People email instead of sending mail, People watch free speech like youtube but yet they still control us. We must not let the mass media take our internet away, it was created by the people.. a way for us to connect!

[jkadvices]

there definitely is a world war 3 going on!

[KaiserVadin]

@rojanieves UNDER GOD oh no i said the G word !