All say now, "Hail King Trump!"
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
We don't rule our country using guns and sticks and stones, and it is dead-wrong IMHO to make any such threats no matter how "couched" the language might be. If you're not doing your job, to the continued satisfaction of the people who hired you to do it, you can be fired. It might sound strange, also, for me to point out that "Donald Trump didn't have to step up." He certainly didn't need the money ... so far as I know, he isn't taking his paycheck ... and he had no prior political career. He stepped up because he apparently wanted to make a difference. The office of POTUS grinds-up young men and spits-out old men. And yet, he stuck his neck out, campaigned for the position, and won it, fair and square. He hasn't been sitting on his roses, since. In so many ways, "this man is completely unprecedented," and yet I predict that he will be the first of many. I didn't elect him, and I don't understand him, but I am driven to respect him. I really do think that a sea-change occurred in American politics, here at the cusp of the 21st Century, and that this Officeholder will re-define the Office. In a great many ways, and in barely a year, he has already done so. :eek: |
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Its amusing today that Turkey is openly hostile to Israel and the United States. At least Douglas Feith registered as a foreign agent for Turkey eventually. I don't think he has for Israel yet. He pumped out the lies to justify the Iraq war with Israel (but not with Mossad) and the Iraqi opposition. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/jul/17/iraq.usa Quote:
China gave North Korea a war guarantee if it is attacked first. North Korea will at least get a first nuclear strike according to China. If China was serious they would go in and remove the nukes with their huge army. I have little faith in the United Nations to achieve anything. I hope they come through. I hope you are right about China and Russia. Quote:
There is a coup against Trump underway. The coup supporters say that 17 intelligence agencies agreed that Russia meddled in the US election. Actually it was hand picked members from 3 agencies by the Obama administration: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/a-...ies-falsehood/ There are people who dislike everything about Trump that know that the Obama administration was out to set him up because they haven't given us proof. Chalmers Johnson figured that the military wouldn't do a coup. They'll get nice jobs in the private sector after leaving government. He said instead of a military coup the US will go bankrupt. I'm hoping for a soft landing. Who did you vote for? Gary Johnson, Jill Stein? Vermin Supreme? He was real big on ponies and he was more real than the puppets paraded before us during the election. |
Regarding the BBC: It's not simply "state owned" and certainly not "state TV". It's not 'that simple'. It's quite often the thorn in the side of the current regime. It has been accused of being "leftist" by successive Conservative governments and sporting too many right wing types by Labour.
It's far from perfect, but when it comes to so called "Independent Television", a public company subject to the whims of shareholders (many of these global multinationals and/or dubious financiers), it's the lesser of two evils at least. The year before the 2010 General Election, the Cameron led Conservative party secured the support of (Murdoch) News Corporation on one particular condition, among others, that it would deny the BBC any increase in the licence fee (to boost News Corps SKY TV). The deal was of course struck and quite predictably the leading Murdoch "red top" tabloid switched allegiance back to the Tory party. When a state's so called "independent" or "commercial" media is in the hands of such people it's not really so different to state media, just not so in your face. When that media becomes a global 'news' empire, it could be argued that it threatens sovereignty. But despite all this, for some it's not OK for Russia to have a news broadcast in the US... |
There is a difference between "State Owned" and "Shareholder Supported". Corporations may have to answer for fails to stockholders but it is exceedingly rare that shareholders heavily influence policy. Most corporations love the concept - "It is easier/smarter to ask for forgiveness than permission".
|
So major shareholders of a given public company have no influence, either direct or indirect...?
|
Quote:
|
I would argue that major shareholders exert considerably more influence than you'd imagine. Voting powers are just one aspect, but they also can use their stake as leverage, i.e. acquiring shares which just fall short of a controlling interest.
|
Quote:
|
Someone holding a major stake in a public company, often sits on the board, or has a controlling interest or just falls short of a controlling interest. This may be an individual or a rep from a company which holds a stake.
I don't think whether either of us has served on a board is relevant to the discussion at hand. I would say that we disagree as to whether major shareholders exert influence over the direction of the organisation - in particular media organisations. Leaving the interests of stakeholders aside for now: Do you agree that media corporations can also still have a political bias/agenda? Or in your opinion, is it only state controlled media which is biased/influenced? |
I think that we are right-now seeing "the last gasp of fifty-year old attitudes," held by seventy- and eighty-year old men (and women) who are still in power in the US Congress." Most importantly, they take it for granted that the USA is "an empire," and that every other country in the world should pay obeisance to them. (I guess they haven't figured out that both China and Russia, say, have multi-thousand year histories, and in comparison to these the USA is a kid not too far beyond diapers.)
Other nations throughout the world are looking at them strangely: "The world has moved on. Don't they get it yet?" Unless and until the USA imposes term limits on all elected offices (and judgeships, and justices), these fossilized war-hawk attitudes will continue until the fossils who hold them are finally reaped by Father Time. But, it really shouldn't be this way. (For instance: "sorry to let you know, but World War II didn't end in the East because of your precious atomic bombs. It ended because Russia declared war and announced that it would be invading the home islands from the west... a very short distance across one small stretch of water ... within ten days.") The Cold War is Over. So is World War II. There is no more "USSR." "There is no 'American empire." There is no Hegemony. USA is neither the oldest, nor the richest, nor the baddest, nor the morally-superior nation in this world-wide community. While this nation is powerful, it is not all-powerful. The biggest thing holding my country back right now, IMHO, is those worn-out, cocky attitudes. Diplomats from many other nations are speaking patiently in response to America – and, they're making perfect sense. Why not try it their way? |
Quote:
Bottom Line - One can't just assume State Owned and Shareholder Supported are equivalent. |
It was a few questions.
I did not use the term "equivalent". I used the phrase "When a state's so called "independent" or "commercial" media is in the hands of such people it's not really so different to state media". The conditional "such people" and "not so different", are far away from a simple "equivalent". You seem to have read my post as "state media and public media are the same". That's not the point I was trying to make. I suggest reading up on News Corp, particularly in the UK and about it's reps popping in and out of the back door of Number 10. It's not just biased media, it's about people with vested interests in multiple public companies, some media, some investment, etc sitting on various boards and holding shares. Then there's London Evening Standard, former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne, Blackrock and Uber... lots of pies and fingers. But anyway "agree to disagree" is fine by me... |
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:55 AM. |