As I have continued my assessment of the Year that has just passed, I begin with what happend to the Murdoch Empire. The Murodoch Empire was under siege for quite some time as it became apparent how it went about gathering news.
Fox News, The Murdochs' US Arm, is the dominant news organization that caters to the Conservative Right. What I have found quite amazing is how many have noted how US Republican Presidential Candidates not only must go through a primary process for the party nomination, but also a "Fox News Primary". This clearly underscores the power that the network does indeed have to help set the tempo for what conservatives think and believe.
Beyond Fox, I was continually fascinated by the rise of the alternative media. Current TV made its' move this year to be the true alternative media when it become Keith Olbermann's new home for his program, Countdown. It became the anchor of a whole series of programs--including Vangaurd and the Young Turks whose sole efforts have been to fashion another narrative that apparently is to counter the current mainstream narrative coming out of the established media. The established media--CNN/MSNBC/etc.--have been playing it safe and have featured many of the "conventional" analysts that seem to not play up to their true efforts to be the 4th Estate. With the start of the "War Room w/Jennifer Granholm", It will be interesting to what Current does for the new year.
There have been many stories that have not had much "play" in the US mainstream media. For instance, the Bradley Manning Story has hardly had any play in the mainstream media. Bradley Manning was the US Army Private who leaked hundreds of thousands of documents to Wikileaks that ignited a firestrom which is yet to be fully be realized. One of the many documents I reviewed was a very courageous cable from Karl Einkenberry, the Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, who basically called Karzai a useless idiot. It also pointed out the real truth that US diplomats had reported out on despots like Bin Ali and Mubarak that in some ways helped to trigger the transformation that is yet to play itself out in the Middle East.
Out of all the key media outlets, the one that has fascinated me the most was the Guardian of London. They made their name exposing Murdoch, called out the true nature of the Russian State under Putin and even went as far as to live blog the Bradley Manning hearing. They also took front and center in the coverage of Environmental Issues during the Durban Conference. I have also been quite fascinated by the courageous efforts by the Electronic Intifida that has worked quite dilligently to lay out the challenges faced by Palestinians in trying to fashion an existence while dealing with the continued onslaught by Israel. They have shown how the power of alternative media can at least be a force to be reckoned with.
2012 is bound to be another year of transformation. It is bound to be a year that the traditional media will continue to struggle as alternative media continues to gain a foothold. It will also see Governments working to figure out ways to yet again control the flow of information and stiffle free expression. It is truly bound to be a transformational year indeed.
2011 saw quite an evolution in the media in our World. I have been quite amazed at the rise of the internet and how there is a total scramble to dominate the Post-TV world.
As I write this, I am listening to a live broacast of the Farsi Service of the Voice of America over the internet. Right now, they're broadcasting Miranada Cosgrove which I am pleased to see. I also have been quite excited about what the US has done to launch its' Virtual Embassy for Iran. Unfortuantely, it has been blocked by the thugs in Iran. The power of Internet continues to grow by leaps and bounds in dissemanting Information and to bring people together like never before.
What I have been fascinated by ever more has been Social Media. Facebook seems to be non-stoppable as it gears up for its' IPO. Twitter continues to grow by leaps and bounds. I am an avid member of both and have done my utmost to continue some of the on-going analysis done here in Outsiders through those two Virtual Worlds. The rise of Facebook and Twitter has continued to change the dynamics of the debate over the future of our planet like never before. It is fair to call 2011, the Year of the Social Media.
As 2011 draws to a close, the convergence of Social Media as a medium of communicating and affecting social change becomes absolutely central. Anyone who does not embrace it and adapt it is doomed to fail.
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Mike Pouraryan
