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.
It has been quite a year!!!!
I have been trying to to catch my breath as I launch the "Year-In-Review" here and now. Between the Arab Spring, changes in Africa and Russia, the continued challenges of Climate Change, the US Political Scene, the continued economic calamity, The "occupy" Movement, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, Europe's Economic Meltdown, the Media and continued technological transformations--I view it as nothing less than Breathtaking.
I have been taking stock of the year and will be launching the Year in Review here and in KP's sister sites, Outsider Views and Smooth Political. I begin this by noting this contention that the Guardian of London recently published and I received this via a Guardian Tweet:
@guardian: Political Islam poised to dominate the new world bequeathed by Arab spring, writes @petersbeaumont http://t.co/Ei4jneUu
The rise of Political Islam seems to be a reality whether the West likes it or not.
Stay Tuned!!!
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Mike Pouraryan
