See this article-by Thom Hartman for a great take on why Republican media moguls seems so disinterested in profits, which are the holy grail of the hyper-capitalist system they worship. I've blogged on this inconsistency in the past, pointing out that the media has not only been overly consolidated, it's become unprofitable, even with the myriad interconnections between news divisions and marketing divisions hocking celebrity tell-all's and other crap, which are presented as "interviews" for marketing reasons only. The quality of content declines, suiting a dumbed-down audience that doesn't question what it sees on TV.
On the surface, lost profits seem to be a conflict of interest. But the ugly truth is that right wing media moguls have consolidated their industry to the point they now offer Right-leaning perspective on what they call the news, turning media outlets into distribution engines in a massive propaganda effort to keep Americans ignorant and in the dark, where they can be more easily manipulated. Hitler's propaganda minister Goebbels would have been pleased with the extent to which corporations control media. Like Mussolini, he might have been surprised by how American fascism, if it ever took root, would be far superior to his Italian variety, based on the gullibility of Americans.
The present day consolidated, watered-down corporate news seeks screen out news that might contradict key myths, which include at their forefront the idea that radical Islamic terrorists were able to bring down the towers through their efforts alone, with no aid from any other government.
The 9/11 Truth movement is a vital part of the Web experience because it challenges assumptions made by the government in its Official Explanation long before the molten metal in the basement of the Towers had cooled--all from a bunch of kerosene, really?
Hitler didn't have to contend with the Internet; accurate news provided by bloggers would have dispelled numerous propaganda, and could have more quickly consolidated opposition to the Holocaust and other unsavory practices.
Now as is the case in modern-day Australia, Hitler and his goons could simply blacklist websites. Except instead of targeting websites thought to contain child pornography, in Australia's case, a despotic regime would simply blacklist any sites that threaten the regime's version of the truth. And unlike Australians who happen to link to blacklisted sites--and face a large fine--a more autocratic machine could simply disappear the authors.
Now of course there are some issues with using blogs as the only source of news, an idea that just isn't plausible for any serious consumer of news, or anyone concerned with the threats posed by unregulated capitalism on the value of their homes, or retirement accounts.
Anonymous blogging can be a source of libel and unfounded obligations, and thereby unjustly attack individuals. I don't favor hiding behind anonymity-I've extending my name fully here, on some highly confidential issues myself, and have imperiled myself professionally for years to come. Still, like whistleblowers, there's a role for certain anonymous bloggers to play, particularly in sensitive industries or concerning complex topics when an insider's knowledge is essential. One good example might be accountant rules, or graft in contracting, where the anonymous source could face drastic consequences for informing. At the very least, running off about Goldman's HFT schemes is probably a great way for a financial professional to get in trouble.
Despite his anonymity, Tyler Durden is taking risks that the CNBC people won't. Fearless journalism died on that network, at least on that corporate network. Maybe the Durden identity, created in the movie Fight Club, isn't that bad a name for ZeroHedge's author after all. Durden is clearly anti-establishment and CNBC clearly stands on Goldman's side in dodging the accusations.-
--------Links-------------
-Gasparino's profile: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838145
-Michelle Caruso-Cabrera profile: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838214
