There is Something Wrong with the Independent Media
By Steve Windisch 12-2010
There is something very wrong with the independent media. It is unclear if this is somewhat about a failure to understand "priorities"; or if it is mainly something "darker" related to deliberate suppression and misdirection. We do know, that several important and vital stories very damning and damaging to the "status quo" are now not only suppressed by the corporate owned mainstream media (an old story for decades, but a phenomena that greatly increased after the events of "9/11" ); but are also now virtually ignored in the so-called "Independent" Internet media as well: The very people whom we trust to bring us information that the mainstream refuses to. This is a highly disturbing trend that appears to be growing; and what it causes as a result (for whatever reason), is to help maintain the "status quo" and the "hear-no, see-no-evil" mainstream media aura of :
"No important questions ever asked, nor answered."
Ultimately this is to the benefit of those profiting from the current situation on this planet. A "situation", that any poll would list a very large majority of folks as believing to be anywhere from "Highly Undesired" to "Intolerable". Yet, despite nearly universal disgust with our lot, we see vocal dissent actually shrinking and lessening; and organized movements all over the spectrum losing members; not gaining them. And" more disturbingly" we see serious dissent against the status quo as seen in the independent media shrinking as well.
Have we have been infiltrated and co-opted? Have we have been taken over behind the scenes, and turned into what some call "Controlled Opposition"? If this is the case, then we could expect to see the following as "symptoms":
> Endless stories,
often heavily and cleverly "emotion based-- about bi-partisan infighting, cheer-leading, and personal demonizing against opponents on the other side.
These are the "favorite", and apparently most effective, of all political
distraction strategies: "The Roman Circus", the endless televised sport of the
"American Politics Football League"; that perpetually consists of only a few
teams; yet the popularity of the games never seems to wane. And despite all the
loudly proclaimed and argued "touchdowns", "field goals", and "punts-- neither
side ever wins, or attains any of their stated goals.
> A lack and lessening of serious dissent attacks against the current administration / regime. This includes both a growing perceived "distaste" against dissent, and a change in tone regarding the tactics of the opposition to these attacks moving increasingly towards ad hominem and denigration using the derision of the "popular" against the artificially labeled "unpopular"; instead of legitimate debate that seeks to investigate and examine issues as openly as possible... not "chill" the discussion of them via social pressure and derision.
> Fewer serious articles that support "radical" viewpoints" and indeed, a "moving target" and changing of what is actually considered "radical"; moving towards the "status quo", not away from it (meaning the definition of what is "radical" is changing before our eyes to be less "tolerant" than only a few years ago). We see this not only in government and mass media; but also increasingly in the independent media, and this is a phenomenon worthy of study and consideration; as when times get worse for us all, the opposite should be expected.
Are we indeed seeing these things happen now in the independent media? That is for the readers here to decide for themselves.
If so, then what specifically does it imply? It would point either to a change in societal popular opinion, or a change in the independent media itself. Yet we know that the level of general discontent of Americans is growing not lessening; and it is simple deductive reasoning that as this general discontent and loss of trust in the government grows, those it would "endanger" would work harder at stifling dissent to protect "their" status quo. And that is the suggestion in a nutshell: That indeed, we are now seeing a concerted effort to turn the independent media into little more than a minor arm of the already co-opted mainstream media.
So, working on the assumption
this is "True", what sort of important news stories would a co-opted
"independent" media, besides the mainstream, also attempt to suppress or
marginalize, if indeed it is becoming the "secretly controlled opposition" ?
> Stories that paint the current Administration in a bad light (which can translate to many of the below as well).
> Stories that show the "corporate oligarchy", the status quo of the American corporate power structure, breaking the Law; and otherwise acting immorally in ways that endanger or impoverish common people (or our environment). Essentially, most news stories that show them to be anything other than their Public Relations would have us believe. In these cases, the level of illegality is the deciding factor to the level of "suppression" that is applied: For instance, attacking "Monsanto" generally (without specifics that could be translated into actual Criminal Charges), is less "dangerous" to the status quo, than pointing out glaring and specific crimes of oil corporations (such as "BP" or "Exxon Mobile"). This is also very true for International Crimes and travesties committed by American corporations overseas (especially the oil corporations), which very few of us ever hear about at all... Even from the so-called Independent Media.
> Stories related to the above, that show the States or Federal governments ignoring or even helping their "corporate clients" break Laws or perform especially immoral and odious acts.
> News stories illustrating the true nature and extent of the financial upheavals of the few years; showing the financial institutions in a very bad light or exposing specific Crimes. Including stories that work to "remind" people of the very subject of the Crisis and "Bank Bail Out"; which considering the vast import to the nation's economy and Recession / Depression, was quickly "dropped" as a "popular" subject many months ago. Another glaring example of this (from over two years ago), was the "Oil Price Bubble", which all evidence shows was pure "speculation", and clearly perpetrated by the entities involved in the energy sector themselves: In clear violation of many stock and commodities markets manipulation laws, RICO Act Racketeering, and Anti-trust statutes. Yet, this was a woefully under reported story, not only in the "corporate owned MSM" (which never touched it); but also, surprisingly, in the alternative media.
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