Media Diversity post Murdoch

The Rupert Murdoch Scandal Circus will play as long as Media Barons worry about being broken, yet the Circus is already fading as politicians sense the public is satisfied with just the investigation of the Scandal. Big Media is on the ropes and knows that if they don’t focus their audience on the Scandal Circus, they we’ll focus on the arrogance that allowed recurring scandals and attacks on Network Neutrality. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely, again.

We need limits on media ownership and taxes on excessive profits to foster real competition among our 4th Estate, and balance the power of government. This will work best if we confer with other nations with strong global and national media. “No one may own competing media,” is simple and direct. We will not say which media an owner will keep or limit buying in other areas. Owners may hold many non-overlapping locals or keep the syndicate, network or service that delivers news and information across many regions, nations or the world. We may be able to compromise on how quickly owners must sell controlling interest versus full interest in the holdings they do not keep. We may look very strongly at organizations that wish to own themselves and soften divestment or loan payments to suit the organization’s reasonable profits and capitalization. We don’t mind if breaking stories or delivery technology make owners rich, but they must share their wealth with the people they serve or it will be taken in taxes. Freedom of speech and diversity mean we may trumpet any affiliations we have or do not have, but we also call for people’s ability to bring class action for undue bias, divisiveness, hatred or disturbing the peace. This includes all sides of political campaigns.

Our political leaders are good at making friends and friends in the media is more a requirement for office than being bought. Which is not to say that some politicians aren’t well bought. So too, many of the reporters and editors we know are basically great people. Many in the media decry the sensational pressure and wish to be the good journalists and editors they dreamed of. Thoughtful politicians need to lead their friends in the media back to a more reasonable system. Some owners will balk, but most see that they can hold on to a piece of their empires and a better fight for audience share in quality. We look to your political leaders to forge rules that the people and the media can live comfortably with. Cooperatives and self-owned media organizations are can be well explored in this educated and self-aware industry.

From the Dream to our earth, all people need a more free media to secure our freedoms.