[Colorado-Valley]

If you understand American corporate media, news is just the filler they put between what's really important -- advertising.

If energy depletion begins to crush the global markets, many of these big corporations that pay for the existence of CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, etc. may begin going bankrupt and not have the funds anymore to buy advertising.

Now its no big deal to me -- I've watched these outlets become hopelessly corrupted and would not miss them in the least. Perhaps there might be official state media, or the Republicans might pay to keep Fox on the air, but I doubt it. These are expensive operations, especially CNN, which, despite going downhill after Ted Turner left, still maintains professional reporter bureaus around the world.

So, as oil depletion becomes a crisis and the corporate economy fails, how will we get news in the future? Will we even have a local newspaper anymore? Afterall, those are mostly paid for by car dealers and housing-developers and related industries.

There are public news sources like NPR, the BBC and PBS, but would there be the money to fund them? And even worse, might they become government propaganda outlets rather than news operations?

[seldom_seen]

If we get to a point where massive global media conglomerates start to break in to piecies and can't afford to keep their tee vee stations running. My guess is what we will see, er I mean listen to lots more radio for news.

Assuming the FCC dissolves at some point, the radio waves will basically be set free. So resourceful people will set up radio stations in their regions or locales. Low power requirements (relatively speaking), with not a lot of equipment required (compared to running a tee vee station or keeping the internet online).

[UIUCstudent01]

I don't think TV will go down, period. (Maybe not until like 150 years from now...) Not in my lifetime. The control/information it provides is somewhat necessary.

[RonMN]

I have a 20 year old boom box that get's AM, FM, SW1 (short wave), SW2 and SW3...8 D batteries will keep it running for about 3-4 years. I don't plan on tossing it!!!

[bart]

Interesting thought-topic, Colorado-Valley.

I wouldn't miss the corporate media, either. Most of what they do is not "news" as I understand it, but entertainment and veiled propaganda. Arguably, we would be better informed without them, since we would have a chance to read books, think and talk to one another. This seems to have been the case in 19th Century America.

We might have fewer sources of information, but higher quality.

There would still be a broadcast industry, no matter what, since governments find it indispensable. Radio, in particular, is a cheap way to reach a wide audience.

I would guess that everyone would want to have the Internet continue, since the benefits it provides are so great.

As we re-localize, the community media will make a comeback -- the small town paper might become the small town webpage. Sponsors would be the small businesses that used to sponsor the newspapers and radio stations 50 years ago.

[Specop_007]

Click

[PenultimateManStanding]

This is Rush at his worst, specop. I've listened to him for years and feel that I have some insights into who he is. He said it best when he said, 'I'm just a kid from Missouri who wanted to be on the radio.' His talents are substantial as are his flaws. He picked up the the conservative movement from Buckley, as he constantly reminds us with his by now nearly unconscious parody of Buckley's voice. I watched him once on Buckley's show and the first thing you saw when the camera panned onto Rush was Rush picking his nose. He isn't an intellect, he's a showman, an entertainer. BTW, he has gotten a little lift on life recently, no doubt from kicking the oxycontin. But during the Clinton years he became so insufferable that I finally stopped listening for many years. That was when he was high as a kite for every show. What amazes me, and no doubt, Rush too, is how he could survive the diclosures about his opiate use. Americans are starved for meaning is the best answer I can come up with.

[Specop_007]

Funny PMS, I think this is Rush at his best. He hit it on the head precisely in how he described liberals in that rant.
Usually I dont pay Rush much attention as I think he really goes off on meaningless tangents.

But this one? He hit the target, dead center.

[some_guy282]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'B')ut this one? He hit the target, dead center.

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('some_guy282', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'B')ut this one? He hit the target, dead center.

[some_guy282]

A dangerous way to sum it up? That's what the man said! He repeatedly said that they (Cindy and the protesters with her) were only there because they were upset, depressed, and mad at the world. He repeatedly said that they and the rest of liberals hate America.

I listened to the whole 15 minute clip. Aside from his arguments that the fact very few politicians have children serving in Iraq means nothing, it was a typical "liberals hate America!" rant.

[seldom_seen]

This country will not be free until Rush Limbaugh is strangled by the entrails of Michael Moore.

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('some_guy282', 'A') dangerous way to sum it up?

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', 'T')his country will not be free until Rush Limbaugh is strangled by the entrails of Michael Moore.

[The_Virginian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', 'T')his country will not be free until Rush Limbaugh is strangled by the entrails of Michael Moore.

[Geology_Guy]

Wow-you guys sure are full of hate against Rush. You may not like him, but its a free country-where are the big name liberal radio talk show hosts? As far as I know all liberal talk shows have failed to attract much of an audiance-oh wait I forgot National Public Radio.

I was amused by the media being upset about the neighbor shooting off his shotgun. As far as I know owning and shooting a shotgun on a private ranch in TX is still legal as is dove hunting, but I guess those big city repprters would not know much about dove hunting!

[CrudeAwakening]

Wow, that Limbaugh diatribe was great comedy!!

Good to see the standard of intellectual debate is so high in the US..

I find it especially ironic how the people who insist on their countrymen toeing the patriotic line and not questioning the decisions of their government, fail to see the totalitarian impulse behind this. Their anti-democratic rage is all too evident to dispassionate outsiders.

Genuine democracy is obviously too threatening to them.

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CrudeAwakening', 'W')ow, that Limbaugh diatribe was great comedy!!

Good to see the standard of intellectual debate is so high in the US..

I find it especially ironic how the people who insist on their countrymen toeing the patriotic line and not questioning the decisions of their government, fail to see the totalitarian impulse behind this. Their anti-democratic rage is all too evident to dispassionate outsiders.

Genuine democracy is obviously too threatening to them.

[killJOY]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')s for hating America, its by and large true. They bitch about our war, they bitch about us owning guns, they bitch about us being a capitalistic society, they bitch about us not having socialized healthcare, they bitch about us cracking down on illegal immigration, etc etc the list goes on.

What are you led to believe? That liberals love this country?

[killJOY]

"I agree with Rush...Eat the bitch!"