Who Owns The Media?

 

WHO OWNS THE MEDIA? A handful of large companies control what you see, hear, and read every day. Who owns what’s on TV? Why does it matter that a few corporations own most of the media we see?

Below see the 3 largest companies and what media they own, as depicted by their logos:

General Electric (GE) is a true behemoth: the conglomerate is the world’s third largest company with market capitalization of nearly $370 billion and annual revenue of $173 billion (2007). The company produces practically everything – from aircraft engine to locomotives to medical devices. GE’s media holding includes TV networks NBC and Telemundo, 27 TV stations in the US and many cable TV networks, including the History Channel, A&E, and Sci Fi Channel. It also owns the popular web-based TV website Hulu.
Time Warner is the world’s largest media and entertainment company – it owns major operations in film, TV, print, Internet, and telecommunications. Time Warner has an annual revenue of $50.5 billion (2008) – the equivalent of the entire GDP of Luxembourg. Time Warner’s got Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, CNN, Headline News and more;
	The Walt Disney Corporation has grown to be one of the world’s largest media and entertainment corporation since its founding as an animation studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney in 1923. Disney owns ABC TV network, with 200 affiliated stations reaching nearly 100% of all U.S. TV markets, as well as dozens of niche cable networks. True to its cartoon animation origin, Disney captures its viewers early – it counts millions of young children as its audience with kids channels like the Disney Channel, not to mention targeted marketing to kids and teens.