What’s the Economic Value of Propaganda?

[Junkdrawer]

When people complain of the obvious collusion of the MSM and corporate/Republican interests, they are often met with “Well, the MSM is just a business. If that’s what their viewers and advertisers want, well that’s what they’ll get.”

In accounting, intangibles are often worth more than the book value of a business. The concentration of media ownership into a few hands has created the potential for a new source of intangible wealth: propaganda value. If the media can spin an issue that is worth $billions to a special interest, how much is that worth to said interest?

For example: In July of 2001 Limbaugh signed a contract extension, reportedly worth $285 million. Now, do you think Limbaugh really sells that much Verbal Advantage to justify that salary, or does Limbaugh help increase the propaganda worth of Clear Channel?

[Selatius]

1. What is the price of keeping people in ignorance?

I couldn't put a dollar figure to the amount, but for some people, maintaining a grip on power over the country is worth more than their very souls, so I guess in that context, 285 million is worth the price. Buying politicians, landing big government defense contracts, asking buddies who run the corporate news outlets to cover for you--it's all part of the game.

GWB is getting shot to hell, but that's no matter. They financed his rise, and they will let him fall. For them, it's just a question of selecting a new servant to run. You see, these robber barons and war profiteers never run for office. They'd much rather somebody else do the dirty work.

I fear that these men who financed Bush's rise to power will escape. People will be too busy taking out their anger on Bush et al. to notice the real men in the shadows. In that sense, Bush becomes a decoy.

[Roland99]

2. Those intangibles must be part of the "dark matter" keeping the GDP growth

"positive"

[dipsydoodle]

3. Priceless

is the answer to your question.

And on the subject of Nuremburg :

"It is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
--Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering @ Nuremburg

Sound familiar ?

[glitch]

4. It's up to many billion dollars now isn't it?

Without propaganda Carlyle and Halliburton would be bankrupt. But it goes further, propaganda saves lives. Or at least it saves certain people from long prison sentences.
For now.

In other words: Propaganda is Priceless.
For now.

[Junkdrawer]

5. It's the concentration of Media that does it....

When you have hundreds of independent reporters submitting their work to hundreds of independent editors, the potential for propaganda is limited.

But make that 5 reporters and 5 editors, and you see why a few enterprising corporations would want to "roll up" media under a central control.

[glitch]

6. That's what did it. Their "loss leader" media has brought in HUGE profits

in their other industries.

[rman]

7. kick for insightfulness

[Junkdrawer]

8. Thanks

:blush: