Moyers & Company Show 148: Bernie Sanders on Big Media's Power Play

In 1983, 50 corporations controlled a majority of American media. Now that number is six. And Big Media may get even bigger, thanks to the FCC's consideration of ending a rule preventing companies from owning a newspaper and radio and TV stations in the same big city. Such a move -- which they've tried in 2003 and 2007 as well --would give these massive media companies free rein to devour more of the competition, control the public message, and also limit diversity across the media landscape. Bernie Sanders, one of several senators who have written FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski asking him to suspend the plan, discusses with Bill why Big Media is a threat to democracy, and what citizens can do to fight back.
Also on the show, Bill is joined by former Republican Congressman Mickey Edwards, a founding father of modern conservative politics who now fears the movement has abandoned its principles. Edwards explains why both political parties require radical change, and shares his perspective on Grover Norquist and anti-tax pledges. "It's not conservatism, not rational, not adult," Edwards tells Bill. " It's a 12-year-old's kind of thinking." Edwards chaired the Republican Policy Committee, was a founding trustee of the conservative Heritage Foundation, and served as National Chairman of the American Conservative Union.
Finally, in an original essay, Bill Moyers says there's more to Norquist's unusual pledge than ideology or principle.

[@RuthCuadrado]

America, how did you let this guy go? He is the president that can bring America back to what it was

[@545ajrox]

because the DNC basically had bias for Hillary and did everything they could to have the nomination go to Hillary instead of Bernie.

[@lolipedofin]

The world didn't need America to be back to what it was, we need America to be much better than before.

[@mehjones8008]

We didn't let him go. He was the winner of the nomination. The corrupted, crooked leadership of the DNC rigged the primaries for their sold-out candidate, HRC

[@siddharthpoduval2399]

Twice :(

[@jesstiss222]

... everything that they said before me. And, obviously, the impact of the mainstream media propaganda machine, of which this show warned was key to keeping Americans uninformed and misinformed about Bernie and the issues that affect our lives. #wehateithere😫

[@weston.weston]

Bill Moyers is as competent, classy and committed to decency as it gets. I enjoy this type of discussion.

[@justgivemethetruth]

Bernie is awesome ... why is he the only one in our whole government? We need more Bernie Sanders! Here in CA talk radio which used to be a bastion of it not progressivism, then thought and discussion is pretty much wiped out in the last year, it's all canned syndicated BS because what is going on is not competition in media, it's a political war.

[@JonROlsen]

NPR and PBS gone too. Getting rid of Moyers signaled that.

[@kfluhx]

I was just reminded of this interview today and almost vomited to see it's already 10yrs old 😵‍💫 Oh how accurate all the concerns were, and how sad how much farther we've fallen

[@joeshimwell1269]

watching this in 2020 so moving, never been a greater guy

[@jamesanonymous2343]

Do you remember, "Big Brother is Watching", now we have security surveillance cameras scattered around town. Here we are anticipating "Big Brother is Talking". Whoa Nellie !

[@bernlin2000]

He's not.going anywhere! #Bernie2020

[@jesstiss222]

@@bernlin2000 the Empire disagreed. 🥺

[@MsPokey1234]

I love Bill M. I wish I could know how he votes each time! Dean Kraus

[@leealexander3507]

I don't watch TV at all because the corporate point of view brought to us by hosts who are paid millions obviously has nothing to do with my life. Do they cover climate change in any real way? Do they cover the daily struggle to survive of seniors with massive medical bills, the cost of food and housing and the need for help in order to be capable of staying in our homes instead of a nursing home? How do we get transportation once we are no longer able to drive? Carry our groceries and other things we are no longer strong enough to carry? I dread hearing about seniors freezing to death in their homes each winter because they can't afford heat. What about our young who are unable to start their lives because they are saddled with student debt? Our young are the future of our country but we offer job training rather than a well rounded education in our universities. We have to import doctors because our young and their parents are unable to afford medical school. Over the span of my life I've watched our country hollowed out financially and left to crumble. Unless we turn this around we are doomed as a country. We can't say President Eisenhower didn't warn us.

[@gosmith3999]

6 Corporations? With respect to Moyers & Company when I post this-- correct me if I'm wrong here, I had the assumption that there are 5 Corporations because CBS is owned by Viacom, so there are only 5 Media Corporations. Am I correct to say this?

[@StephenSchleis]

GO SMITH I wouldn’t be surprised if it were at 4 now...

[@jesstiss222]

“Monopoly, schmolopoly,” says the oligarchy, that proudly glances at its pet propaganda machines. 3 at best these days, yet all are just different heads on the same monster. Heaven help us

[@ahagamama]

Get rid of redistricting and gerry-mandering completely

[@justgivemethetruth]

We cannot stick with this idiot's holding pattern, we have to set limits on corporations, and we need to do it while, or if we still can.

[@jesstiss222]

It’s 2020 ... *shudder*

[@Judicial78]

Trump is the one downvote on the video.

[@abelflores1593]

After watching all these videos and going back in time both parties suck

[@alruiz3668]

MAKE INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING INFORMATIVE AGAIN!!

[@coopsnz1]

Owns there homes , he is richer than my father who busted his ass owning a construction company

[@JonROlsen]

Yeah, I wonder where he gets all that wealth. Worth looking into.

[@MrHarveyrex23]

Fucking Bill Clinton was the greatest Republican President ever. 1) NAFTA 2) Welfare to Work 3) Don’t ask, don’t tell. 4) 1996 telecommunications act