Direct TV is owned by that Bush "pole-sucker" Rupert Murdoch.... I have Dish Network and I love it. If you have it, check out Free Speech TV, channel 9415. It gives new meaning to the term "Liberal Media".
Rupert Murdoch was allowed to buy Direct TV. This rather amazing piece of the media conglomeration package disappeared under a storm of news. First the "capture" of Saddam Hussein, then under terror alerts, then under mad cow disease. So I want to back up and discuss this blow to media diversity.
First, a little background on News Corporation owned by (Rupert Murdoch) and Direct TV - formerly owned by General Motors.
News Corporation from their web site
Filmed Entertainment
20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Espanol, 20th Century FoxHome Entertainment, 20th Century Fox International, 20th Century FoxTelevison, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox Studios Australia, Fox Studios Baja, Fox Studios LA, Fox Television Studios.
Fox Cable
Fox Movie Channel, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports Digital, Fox Sports Enterprises, Fox Sports in Espanol, Fox Sports Net, Fox Sports World, FUEL, FX, LA Dodgers, National Geographic (US and Worldwide), SPEED Channel
Direct Broadcast Satellite Televison
Sky Italia, BSkyB, FOXTEL, Phoenix Television
Other Assets
Broadsystems, Festival Records, Fox Interactive, Mushroom Records, National Rugby League, NDS, News Interactive, News Outdoor, Nursery World.
Direct TV
Direct TV is the largest of the satellite providers serving 11 million subscribers worldwide. The merger was approved by the FCC and cost Murdoch $6.6 BILLION.
How it happened and what it means
Well it is pretty clear that Murdoch's investment in lobbying ($10 million between 1999 and 2002), and campaign investments ($200,000 so far this year and $1.8 million 2000-2002). The acquisition fo Direct TV gives Murdoch a dominating presence in all three markets of broadcast, cable, and satellite TV. (A Present for Murdoch Chester, The Nation, 12/4/03) Fox already owns local stations covering 44% of local communities (Murdoch's Mega-Media Merger, Sirota et al, AlterNet, 12/22/03).
This dominance will allow News Corporation to set rates and programming content, and have an even larger influence of rules controlling the industry. This places them in a postion similar to Wal-Mart in terms of shaping the way business is done. This reach expands beyond broadcast media, and that reach is breathtaking. Each of the companies in the Murdoch Empire are their own corporations with their own fiefdom.
Murdoch, who is not known for his "fair and balanced" approach, will have even more undue influence over the media -- not just in the US, but worldwide. The media is a tremendous force for shaping perception, culture, and decision-making. All else aside, this acquisition dramaticaly reduces the diversity of voice and perspective.