1. The Stimulus
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 deregulated media ownership. Consequently, the media landscape of the twenty-first century is controlled by few conglomerate media corporations. As a result of corporate mergers and expansion of digital technologies, these corporations have substantial influence over the content that is broadcasted to the public. “Almost all media that reach a large audience in the United States are owned by for-profit corporations—institutions that by law are obligated to put the profits of their investors ahead of all other considerations. The goal of maximizing profits is often in conflict with the practice of responsible journalism” (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting). A tension arises between maximizing profits and serving the public interest. Ultimately, the news is controlled by a few major corporations that seem to be largely motivated by the pursuit of profits; as a result, there is a question of whether or not the news presents a distorted reality provoked by the interests of advertisers and owners. We will examine whether or not the quality of information in the news is affected due to increased censorship, intensified competition amongst industry leaders, and conflicts of interests among top executives.
