The politics of money and influence

And how it controls the world as we know it

OPINION -

Did you know:

Four days ago, the CEO of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), David Zaslav, opined that he didn’t really care who won the US Presidential election, so long as they were M&A and business friendly.

Bloomberg reported:

Asked about the upcoming presidential election, Zaslav said it mattered less to him which party wins, as long as the next president was friendly to business.

"We just need an opportunity for deregulation, so companies can consolidate and do what we need to to be even better," he said.

Business Insider added:

And it's conventional wisdom that if Donald Trump wins the upcoming election, he'll usher in an era where just about any M&A deal you can dream up can go through (as long as Trump doesn't have a problem with one of those companies — ask AT&T and Time Warner, whose deal was held up in court for years during Trump's first administration.)

If you didn’t know, David Zaslav oversees over 100 news networks, including CNN.

And one person who sits on the board of WBD, described as “Fox News-loving” and has “deep and longstanding ties with David Zaslav” is multi-billionaire and media mogul John Malone.

Malone was reportedly behind CNN firing one of their journalists who frequently criticized Fox News. Malone was also on record as saying he wanted CNN brought back from its left wing bent. Zaslav obliged.

Recently, I’ve been wondering about the palpable fainting and hyperventilating over Biden’s slip ups.

It’s influencing me too.

“Why doesn’t Biden just resign?” I bark crankily in the direction of an innocent friend, who shrugs their shoulders.

The NZ Herald, of course, has been quick to capitalise on Biden’s slip ups, mocking Biden with headlines that mask it as news. 1 News has similarly followed suit in a dangerous display of cheap, one sided, journalism.

And while Biden is well past his prime, and the conversation has definite validity, the way it’s been handled, and the distinct lack of focus on his opponent’s unsuitability - plus ignoring the stark implications of a Trump win - is mind-blowing to me.

Why is American and international media not hyper-focused on the fact that the alternative is a convicted rapist, fraudster, multi-count felon, who has admitted to receiving millions of dollars from countries like Saudia Arabia and China, wanted to shoot refugees, had to be talked down from starting a nucleur war with Iran for shits and giggles, leaks national intelligence to bystanders, appears wholly unfit, and is going to bring about the destruction of democracy to the US like never seen before in the form of that boring sounding name, “Project 2025.”

Which is basically short for taking over the American government and implementing a fascist state.

[To clarify, some are focused on Trump’s issues e.g. MSNBC, but most of the oxygen is being fanned by copy and paste bites, masked as journalistic news.]

And one doesn’t even have to look far to find Trump’s own compilation of mind blowingly dumb and cruel takes, or plain slip ups either.

But those aren’t the star of the show, are they?

I don’t know about you, but the words “corporate media” is actually what it says on the tin.

Another “media mogul” you may have heard of is Rupert Murdoch, creator of “alternative facts,” master manipulator, and leader of news media like Fox News, The Sun tabloid in the UK, Sky News etc.

In Australia, his respectably named ‘The Australian’ newspaper regularly attacks Australia’s national, state owned, broadcaster, ABC.

A common attack line is ‘ABC is wasting taxpayers’ money’ (Does that line sound familiar to you?)

Yeah, Rupert, I’m sure you really care about taxpayers’ money.

It is also littered with lines that we hear from our present Coalition Government: ‘cutting red tape is essential for economic efficiency,’ ‘Chris Luxon is a man of charisma and positive energy who is going to save New Zealand from the backward, economically stupid and evil Jacinda Adern policies of Labour.’ etc.

Naturally, Rupert Murdoch supports Atlas Network.

Talking of which.

Here in New Zealand, right wing money interests ensure Taxpayers Union do their bidding by attacking RNZ on the side, as required.

Not to be outdone, in February 2024, David Seymour got into gear - as a shareholding Minister, he formally and personally attacked 1News reporter Benedict Collins, he told a right wing pundit New Zealand media is “so hateful,” and that he and National would be replacing New Zealand’s media executives with people more to their liking. Then he low-key threatened - or ostensibly, depending on how you see it - ‘promised’ TVNZ with a “value for taxpayers’ money review.”

Since then, I think things have become less “hateful” for Seymour and Luxon.

In short, corporate media is what it says on the tin - driven by powerful, corporate interests.

And that, despite my enjoyment of journalism, is something that we should never forget.

Be wary of the person who comes wearing cloth adorned with “I’m here to care about your taxpayer money.”

And here’s my regular plug for Newsroom, the GOAT, and a small prayer of thanks that we still have credible journalists like Jack Tame on air. I’m also actively discovering a network of alternate channels and writers that offer a wealth of insight, care and factual analysis.

To close this off, it’s interesting to see how really big money thinks - nothing to do with, who will look after the poorer, who will do better things for health care, and improve education, or address soaring insurance bills brought about by climate change, or just making the world a better place - no, it’s all about Numero Uno - and for them, that’s a named corporation and entity.

Bizarre world they live in, and by virtue of their money, reach, resources and thereby significance - us too.