Net Neutrality and the Bigger Picture

Net Neutrality allows for more than obtaining choice information at the speed any information is obtained. Net neutrality is important because it ensures that people are allowed to CHOOSE the information they are receiving. Freedom of information is a fundamental part of democracy.

"We have an honorable media. They give us all the information we need and more."

Mainstream media outlets have vested interests ($$$) in some of today's most contentious political issues. Media consolidation over the past few decades has led to increasingly limited sources of information.
News Corporation, General Electric, Disney, Time Warner, Viacom, and CBS Corporation are the Big Six of the U.S. current mainstream media. (The Nation, July 3 2006). View the media chart, noting the holdings in television, magazines, music, film, and Internet companies, at http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060703/mediachart

Furthermore, advertiser influence on material covered in these media outlets biases the information disseminated.
Check out FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) for comprehensive information on the flaws in today's corporate media.

A few examples of corporate media bias

Former Donahue Producer Jeff Cohen's comments on Democracy Now:
Well, think about it. When his show was taken off the air three weeks before the Iraq invasion began, it was the most watched program on the channel. And it’s very rare in TV news, where the most watched program -- or TV -- where a most watched program gets cancelled.

And, you know, the day after Donahue was terminated, that memo leaked out. It was never supposed to get public. An NBC internal memo about MSNB, it said: “Donahue represents a difficult public face for NBC in a time of war. He seems to delight in presenting guests who are antiwar, anti-Bush and skeptical of the administration's motives.” What they really worried about is we had -- we tried to get dissenters on there that would say, “You know, this might not be about weapons. This impending invasion might be about oil or military bases or empire.” And to question motives is almost a cardinal rule, to say that the motives of U.S. foreign policy might not be pure, that’s not something they want.

And, you know, that NBC internal memo that leaked a day after Donahue was terminated, it went on to describe their nightmare scenario: “Donahue would become a home for the liberal antiwar agenda” -- I’m quoting -- “at the same time that our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity.”

General Electric owns NBC and MSNBC among others.
General Electric: Military contracts 2005: $2.2 billion
Defense-related contributions in the 2004 election cycle: $220,950
As cited on Corp Watch
Obviously, General electric not only has an interest in public support (financing) for military operations, but also elections as elected officials must award them such military contracts.
How might this influence their programming? Use your imagination or do some research.

Can you find other examples of corporate media bias?
Post a comment.

In this climate, the Internet has the capability to provide non corporate-sponsored information that empowers citizens to become informed participants in democracy.

Will we let the Internet giant companies bias the Net the way cable broadcasting has been?
Or will we demand Net Neutrality Now!?