Is free speech really free?
In my previous post I stated the purposes and definitions of the title words and why journalism is vital to the health of our rights of free speech in our nation. Free speech has never really been free though. Many heroes in American history have fought and died to insure our Constitutional Billl of Rights of which the first one is free speech. Sadly, we have allowed free speech to become controlled except for the internet and by yelling out our concerns on street corners.
The same monopolistic powers of control have occurred in journalism, news reporting, and mass media. Ninety percent of all US news and entertainment sources are now owned by six Corporations who have been granted licenses by Congress to transmit over air waves along with the ability to sway opinions and profit. What is questionable is whether the news sources and mass media they control is the hypocrisy to the purpose of journalism, which is to provide the information to be free and self-governing.
There are plenty of articles, accusations, and opinions about the issue of bias or unfair news reporting in journalism anyone can read and form their own opinions. There are also many concerns about the morality of the media which is another subject of concern. My main concern is the hypocrisy of news sources who state they are providing fair and objective news reports when in truth they are not. In my opinion, the reality is if any employed reporters, editors, and news commentators live up to the ideals of the main purpose of journalism, they will not have a job very long if what they report does not please their owner’s agendas.
I state this because the consistencies of bias reporting are so very evident when you see or read the political news commentary from the different new sources in our nation. This is not healthy for our nation, and is contradictory to the purpose of free speech as intended by the originators of our Constitution. Why? Because too many people trust and do not realize how they are being manipulated by a select few empowered with the means to control and present the news to fit their agendas rather than to provide objective journalism for our nation to be free and self-governing.
In other words, news sources are being used by a select few as a means to influence and control our thoughts and opinions to agree with their agendas. If your speech is not in accordance to their agendas, or if you want to run for a political office, your prospects are very slim. You will seldom be seen, heard, or favored by any controlled journalistic news source. Also, news reports about you may be presented in a skewed or bias manner.
So how can we cure or restore the health of journalism, free speech, and my analogy of news sources being Pied Pipers in my previous post? In my next post I will explain more.
For those who may be interested in the moral aspects and folly of the Corporate Mass Media, I recommend you read Citizen Tom’s excellent post below.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Citizen Tom – Answering Folly – The Corporate Mass Media Part 5 HERE
Rudy u Martinka 
Yes, news media today demonstrate bias and hypocrisy. However, I don’t like the term “Corporate Mass Media”. Liberals (democrats) accuse republicans in being representatives of corporations and call themselves representatives of ordinary people. Actually, almost all news organizations (corporations) are now liberal and support the democratic party.
So I would call them “Liberal Mass Media.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Interesting thought. I do not know for certain so I have to mix em all together for the purpose of these posts. Thanks for your input. By the way, my wife got a good laugh when I told her your “half brain” joke. Thanks.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
LikeLike
It is frightening is it not? I used to be fond of Disney until it became one of the 6! the Mouse is one mean vindictive SOB now!
LikeLike
Even Mickey Mouse ……….sad. Walt Disney must be spinning.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
LikeLike
Thank you for the link and the kind words.
I understand JF’s complaint about the expression “corporate mass media,” but expression “Liberal mass media” also has its issues. The term Liberal use to have a positive connotation. Then the folks who manipulate us with language instead of logic seized upon the word “Liberal” and twisted its meaning. So now “liberal” has come to mean liberal with other people’s money.
So why “corporate mass media”? The mass media is largely owned by huge corporations. That is a simple, concrete, fact.
Corporations are, for all practical purposes, government entities. They are chartered by government and given special treatment by government. Ostensibly, corporations exist as a mechanism for aggregating capital to conduct business enterprises, but through increasing government regulation and multiplying tax laws government officials now exercise a great deal of control. As practical matter, both the Establishment Republicans and virtually all of the Democratic Party work in concert with the CEOs of large corporations. Where the parties differ is with respect to which corporate interests they represent. Of course, labor unions, NGO’s, and other large collectives that receive government fund gravitate heavily towards giving the Democratic Party their support.
What we have to get through our heads is that the United States now has an elite class, and inner circle of the rich and powerful that exercises far more influence than the rest of us could ever hope to exercise. One of the tools at the disposal of these people is that corporation owned and operated mass media. To strengthen the power of this tool, the Democrat led faction of the elites seeks to eliminate competition from news and information sources not under the control of the big six corporations. Once that happens, I suspect the big six will slowly merge into one, and foreign news sources will be denied access to our media markets.
While there is nothing necessarily wrong with having an aristocratic class, too many of our elites now put dominating their countrymen ahead of national interests. Even though life is not a game of King of the Mountain where we climb over each others bodies to reach and stay at the top, that’s what too many of our elites are doing. And as they claw and scrape for the top, they are subverting the laws of republic and destroying our nation. That’s not democracy or free enterprise; that is an abuse of power.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your comment led me to this post. Thanks. Check it out, it bears out your perception of mass media and elite.
http://vigilantcitizen.com/vigilantreport/mind-control-theories-and-techniques-used-by-mass-media/
Regards and goodwill blogging
LikeLike