telecom
GRITtv: The F Word: Killing the Internet, Not Just in Egypt
As we speak, Egypt is struggling with near-total Internet and communications shut-off, and not just Egyptians are grappling with the implications. Can the flow of social media information to an entire country simply be cut? Apparently yes. And that's not just an Egyptian concern. Distributed by Tubemogul.
Email this pageGRITtv: The F Word: Media Monsters Threaten Net Freedom
Comcast, the nation's biggest cable and broadband Internet company, has plans to take over NBC Universal. The result would be a new kind of media monster that would not only produce some of America's most popular entertainment but also control viewers' access to it. Comcast would control the joint venture's day-to-day operations but Pentagon contractor GE would retain a 49 percent stake. The likely impact on consumer choices? Well you tell me: the Washington Post reports that all in all, the joint venture would control more than one out of every five television-viewing hours. With almost one in four cable subscribers in the U.S. a Comcast customer and NBC Universal owning not only NBC but also dozens of cable channels, including Telemundo, MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo as well as theme parks, TV stations such as Washington's WRC (Channel 4), and Universal movie studios, the NBC Comcast deal is a biggie. In the meantime, it's time to cherish ever more all that remains in the way of independent media. And yes, that's our self interest speaking. -- Laura Flanders
