“If I could shed a tear for every home that bombs destroy,
I’d never stop crying
“If I could hold each shattered body, each baby stilled at birth,
I’d have no time for loneliness,
I’d spend all my days embracing the people of this savaged earth,
“And the billionaires are laughing somewhere in America.”
(Song for Basra, David Rovics.)
If you have ever mentally yelled at the screen, radio or hard copy when looking for truth, fact and balance in the news and wondered how much of the mainstream media is bought or biased, the answer is simple.
Just two examples, the US and UK. In the US six corporations own 90% of the media – but these corporations in turn must satisfy their shareholders – each one who holds them financial hostage to the tune of million of dollars.
The list of investors is long (1) but a few examples (2013 figures):
* Oppenheimer funds Inc $67,258,000
* BlackRock Institutional $89,631,000
World’s largest asset manager; also owns 4.7 million shares NY Times
* Mellon Capital Management Corp. $50,205,000
* JPMorgan Private Bank $47,750,000
Gannett owns USA Today and local newspapers & TV stations in 37 US states including the Detroit Free Press, Indianapolis Star and Cincinnati Inquirer. Just one of many mega investors is JP Morgan Asset Management who hold 21,915,328 shares at a 2013 value of $330,702,000.
In the UK there are twelve major newspaper groups:
“Over a quarter (27.3 per cent) of the press is owned by Lord Rothermere and 24.9 per cent by Rupert Murdoch – between them these two men have over 50 per cent of the printed press.” (2) Figures are also from 2013.
Nine of these groups are supporters of David Cameron’s Tory Party which enjoined in murdering Libya’s Leader, near all his family and small grandchildren, reducing the formerly flourishing country to a ruined, failed state – with large swathes of the British public buying into the murderous carnage thanks to the war fever drummed up by the Cameron backing media.
This pattern of ownership is broadly replicated throughout the West where now the same misrepresentation of Syria is in journalistic overdrive.
The BBC is vying to be leader of the pack talking of “civil war” with one Middle East correspondent even dropping the last vestige of “impartiality” and declaring “Assad must go.” The entire organization long abandoned any pretense of professionalism and impartiality even ditching his status and title of “President.”
Consider Donating to Global Research
In contrast to the Mainstream media, Global Research has no $multi-million donors, but as the world again reaches yet another manufactured and most dangerous crisis, truly independent analysis is the vital weapon for the non-partisan truth, knowledge and a tool for prevention from repeating the tragedies of the past. It is, as Dr Binoy Kampmark, distinguished GR contributor and lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne has said: “a vital democratic forum.”
Of course, as Global Research writers pointed out (3) there is no “civil war” in Syria, the country’s nightmare was plotted from inside the US Embassy in Damascus in 2006 with terrorists from over ninety countries committing unspeakable atrocities, then returning to their own countries with impunity, as recent events in Paris demonstrated.
Recent Developments in Syria and Turkey
Global Research has provided extensive coverage of the US-led war against Iraq and Syria. Obama’s fake humanitarian campaign consists in protecting the “moderate terrorists” while going after the ISIS “bad guys” who happen to be supported covertly by the CIA.
Now a further excuse for another illegal onslaught against Syria is being plotted after a Russian fighter jet was shot down on Tuesday, allegedly having strayed into Turkish air space which Russia emphatically denies; moreover, the two pilots who ejected both landed in Syria. Further, as Global Research published last month (4) Turkey, incredibly, unilaterally redrew it’s border declaring five miles of Syria it’s very own “buffer zone.”
The “international community” and NATO might do well to remember, that even if there were a few seconds of Russia’s aircraft in Turkish air space, a US-led “coalition” has been illegally invading Syrian air space and bombing murderously and mercilessly for the last fifteen months. Russia of course has been invited but is bombing terrorists supplied and protected by the US and their allies.
In the UK David Cameron is morphing in to his pal, alleged war criminal Tony Blair and is attempting to persuade Parliament that Britain must join those illegally in Syrian air space and equally illegally drop it’s own bombs with no UN mandate for such action. The Cameron backing media is beating the war drums along with America’s partisan hacks as above.
By the end of yesterday, incisive commentary was already questioning the official rhetoric – but as the year ends, the funds for this ground breaking site need replenishing.
If you appreciate Global Research, Dear Reader, please consider putting something, however small into the Global Research Christmas stocking. [click stocking to donate]
As the excellent “Ants and Grasshoppers” (see 1) points out:
“Just like a politician is likely to push laws onto the books that represent his/her biggest campaign donors, newspapers will push ideologies that are the most friendly and agreeable to their shareholders.”
Global Research does it in unwavering passion and commitment to a saner world.
Season’s Greetings and peace to all.
Consider donating to Global Research so that this project can continue.
Felicity Arbuthnot is a distinguished author, veteran war correspondent and Global Research contributor
Notes:
1. http://ants-and-grasshoppers.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/who-owns-major-newspapers-detailed-list.html
3. http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-and-conspiracy-theories-it-is-a-conspiracy/29596
