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More Media Consolidation Coming Soon

Logic Bomb writes: "According to the Washington Post, a federal appeals court yesterday made a ruling that could make the last couple years of media consolidation look like nothing. Some major FCC rules about media ownership were ruled as "arbitrary" and therefore illegal, most importantly the one preventing a company from owning the cable system and television stations in the same place. Also, though the FCC gets one more chance to defend it, the rule about a company not owning stations reaching more than 35% of the national viewership may get tossed out too."

11 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. I was just saying the other day by Aexia · · Score: 1, Funny

    that I didn't think AOL Time Warner controlled enough of the media. Now I'll get my wish!

  2. New! by zpengo · · Score: 1, Funny

    Try new Time/Warner/Microsoft/AOL/Mitsubishi/IBM brand underwear! They stretch, they shrink, they changes colors, they heat, they cool, they do everything! Much better than the alternative: Not wearing underwear. At only $4,000 a pair, how can you resist? (hint: you can't, or we'll visit your house).

    --


    Got Rhinos?
  3. Re:Pretty soon, by Com2Kid · · Score: 2, Funny

    I consider static to be visualy enjoyable.

    ::shrugs::

    Then again I also enjoy the sound of my case fans spinning as well.

    Love your local white noise generators! :)

  4. Cnnbcaolcom by zpengo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Isn't that Cthulhu's cousin?

    --


    Got Rhinos?
  5. great quote by elmegil · · Score: 3, Funny
    Somehow the slashquote:

    "Sometimes insanity is the only alternative" -- button at a Science Fiction convention.

    Just seems so appropriate.

    --
    7 November 2006: The day Americans realized corruption and incompetence weren't addressing 11 September 2001
  6. Maybe its time to registed a new domain name by cholokoy · · Score: 2, Funny

    www.aoltimewarnercnnattcomcastnbcabccbscisco.com

    --
    Return the bells of Balangiga.
    1. Re:Maybe its time to registed a new domain name by Rascalson · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't you mean www.aoltimewarnercnnattcomcastnbcabccbsciscosucks. com

      --
      prisoner# msce18xxxxx. Currently planning my escape.
    2. Re:Maybe its time to registed a new domain name by SkewlD00d · · Score: 4, Funny

      $ whois www.mcaoltimewarnercnnattcomcastnbcabccbscisco.com

      McWorld (NETBLK-MCAOL-DTC)
      1 OwnJ00 Wy
      McCentral, McVA 00001
      McUS
      McWorld

      Netname: AOL-DTC
      Netblock: 0.0.0.0 - 255.255.255.255

      Coordinator:
      McAmerica Online, Inc. (AOL-NOC-ARIN) domains@AOL.NET
      0

      Domain System inverse mapping provided by:

      DNS-01.NS.AOL.COM 1.1.1.232

      Record last updated on 27-Apr-1998.
      Database last updated on 19-Feb-2002 19:57:50 EDT.

      --
      The biggest trick the devil pulled was letting lawyers become politicians so they can write the laws.
  7. Re:Spectacular by Chiasmus_ · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, any empire that gets larger than its carrying capacity will eventually fail. Certainly. An empire encompassing the Mediterranean, most of Europe, and some of Asia and Africa is impractical when it takes three months to get a message from one corner to the other, let alone a defense force.

    The carrying capacity of a physical government, needless to say, has grown. The carrying capacity of a media corporation is likely much larger than the earth. Your argument is optimistic, but I can't say I buy it. AOL Time Warner might crumble if it tried to overextend itself to, say, Alpha Centauri, but something tells me it'll do just fine capturing, say, 99% of the market share.

    --
    "Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he deems himself your master."
  8. hmm. by magister707 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Some major FCC rules about media ownership were ruled as "arbitrary" and therefore illegal

    you mean there are fcc regulations that aren't arbitrary?

  9. Don't Worry, It's All For the Best by StefanJ · · Score: 3, Funny
    Basic economics tell us that this is a Good Thing! Really!

    Just think. Because of the economics of scale, larger media companies will be able to produce programming more cheaply, using larger, more efficient studios (plants). They can then spend the surplus on better scripts, better actors, fancier sets and more realistic special effects.

    Also, more customers, providing more input, will mean large media companies have an overall better picture of exactly what people want!

    The result: Better programming, and news tailored to exactly fit the world-view of their customers, promoting happier viewers who buy more product, resulting in even greater profits and even more money spent to produce even better programming!

    You'll see. It will turn out just fine. Don't worry. Go back to sleep . . . we'll take care of things.

    -- Stefan "Hey, why aren't my 'searing sarcasm' tags not working" Jones