Media Conglomeration

So as we all know, media conglomeration has pretty much reduced the media industry to the big six. Still, I always believed that media content was pretty diverse. A company like Disney of course owns the Disney Channel which airs Hannah Montana and the likes, but they also own ABC which airs shows like LOST and Desperate Housewives which seem to have nothing to do with the tween shows of the Disney Channel. However, this past month this new character was added to Desperate Housewives, playing Eva Longoria's niece. I was curious as to who this actress was, and so upon wikiapediaing her, I discovered that apparently she had been on a canceled Disney series, and after the cancellation, she was moved to Desperate Housewives. To me, this seems scary, to see how one company can just shift it's stars like pawns on a chess board. Aside from knowing that Disney owns ABC, I never really thought more into it. However, it is little things like this that make a person realize how much conglomeration really goes on in the media. ABC which seemingly has nothing "Disney" about it, truly is a Disney company.

Also, unrelated to the topic of Media Conglomeration, but related to our class discussion is the documentary "Control Room." If anyone is interested in seeing a really interesting documentary about the portrayal of the Iraq war and how media covers the conflict, it is really fascinating. It touches on how where American media will not show the bodies of deceased soldiers, images such as these are shown on Al Jazeera television network, and it contrasts Al Jazeera's practices to that of the "Western" world.