What's wrong with this picture ?
Most of the media outlets in Chicago-land are owned by large corporations -- this includes the cable companies, the newsppaers, the TV stations, the radio stations, the video stores, and the movie theaters, among others.
This brochure highlights some of the major corporations with ties to Chicago media. We include information about major Chicago media outlets, as well as national media links, ties to other industries, and interesting tidbits about the corporations.
The First Amendment guarantees free speech. But speech has never been free in this country -- you have to have access to publishing or broadcast resources. These resources are increasingly controlled by a small number of large corporations. These corporations control more and more of what we see and hear and read, and they have more and more relationships with other industries and interests.
If one company owns newspapers, cable companies, a major TV network -- and has ties to the defense industry, the nuclear industry, the chemical industry -- what kind of coverage will labor get ? Will peace and justice movements get ? What kind of access to the media does any dissent-oriented group have? Media businesses are designed to generate profits for their corporate owners, first and foremost.
The latest wave of mega-mergers consolidates media access into the hands of even fewer companies, and strengthens their ties to the industries and governments which they are supposed to be covering in their news. The recently passed Telecommunications Act of 1996 gave away a huge public resource -- the airwaves -- to only the large companies that already had licenses.
Large corporate control of the media markets make it nearly impossible for communities to control their media outlets, let alone develop and thrive and reach out to their constituents. How can communities participate in a government of, by, and for the people, if our only contribution is buying products, and we cannot count on being adequately informed by media with conflicting interests?
The media is only as liberal as the conservative businessmen who own it !
The information in the print form of the brochure about the corporate media is drawn from data (also available online) which has not yet been formatted online ... feel free to browse our data and factoids about these companies.
The information in the print form of the brochure about the alternative media is drawn from data (also available online) which has not yet been formatted online ... feel free to browse our listings and suggestions for supporting alternative media.
Due to the constantly shifting landscape of media owners,
outlets & offerings, this brochure is a work-in-progress ! Please send
updates, revisions, additions, and comments for the next version of the
Chicago Media Map to :
Laura Quilter
lauramd@uic.edu
OR
Sabrina Craig or Darlene Gramigna
Peace & Justice Radio Project / AFSC * 59 E. Van Buren, #1400 *
Chicago, IL 60605
312.427.2533 * mediaafsc@igc.apc.org
Version 1.0, July 1996
http://www.cpsr.cs.uchicago.edu/other-chicago/mediamap/