Media colonies

Imagine some countries focusing their international strategy on asserting media dominance. Seeking to take control of multimedia groups in different countries to make them act on their behalf.

Whoever controls media groups controls which journalists are given a voice, and which are not. And journalists would know the message which gets them hired by a certain medium and which gets them rejected, or even fired. Thus, through the control of multimedia groups, the life of the country can be controlled. What do people think about and in what terms.

In such case, the media would influence the population, that is, the electorate. Hence, wold influence the election of the national government. And as it always happens with competition for power, constant hidden intrigues would unfold. They always do when it comes to power.

And media structure is already quite complex, as can be seen in the graphic above, as an example.

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Suppose these intrigues were taking place: what would we find?

I believe whomever managed global power would first attempt to contribute to the ascension of affiliate leaders in governments all over the world. Leaders at their service. There is nothing more effective in a competition (or in a war) than to lead your opponent’s army as well as your own.

For example, in the context of Spain, an external manipulator would try to control left-wing media, and through it support leaders who would execute strategies that ultimately suit him. Whoever wanted to divide Spain in smaller irrelevant countries to control them, would support Zapatero instead of Bono, Sánchez instead of Susana Díaz in order to promote nationalism and the fragmentation of Spain… from its own government!. Conquer the political parties to conquer the government to, at the end, conquer the nation.

And with the right-wing party, PP? Well, the same would apply. Promote a leader of their liking. Maybe nationalism appeasers like Soraya instead of Rajoy or Casado. Let’s not forget Merkel’s compliments on Soraya or Macrons criticism for alliances with Vox. There are clear symptoms of right wing media like Planeta or Unidad Editorial (El Mundo…) playing that role.

And in general, in the world? This type of maneuver would explain Trump‘s confrontation with the media and and Big Tech, his complaint that they display fake news, that is, the accusation that the media is deliberately manipulating public life against the interests of the United States. Influencing at the same time from the left (CNN, NYT…), from the right (Fox..) and from the social plataforms (FB, Tweeter…). It would account for the mess experienced in the United Kingdom with Brexit, with an intense component of media distortion too. Or the current disorders in Chile, just as intense as absurd.

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It might make sense to consider if this can be happening. Particularly if we think about how they would do it.

It seems clear that manipulation would consist mainly of sowing hatred and confrontation, since nothing blinds a society as much as that. And you need to blind a society if you want to act against its own interests.

Nationalist hatred to fragment Spain. Socialist hatred to ruin it financially and subject it to external dependence. Western hatreds against the West, so that Americans will despise themselves and act against themselves. Anti-American hatreds in the world to isolate the US, the current leader …

And silence when it comes to your own mistakes. As ERE’s corruption (PSOE) is silenced while Gürtel’s (PP) is magnified. As Europeans support for Cuba or Maduro is silenced and Trump’s last verbal skid is pounding repeatedly. No demonstration of power is as impressive as the ability to silence what is not convenient.

Generating a media reality that has nothing to do with reality. A fantasy world in which the double rod of media reaches ridiculous extremes. In which the facts themselves do not matter, unless they can be used in a partisan way.

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At this point, I think it is clear I do believe this is happening. And that I find it has very harmful effects.

The West has not been blind to the pandemic threat by chance. But because our leaders and the media are excessively focused on the partisan struggle, on the confrontation. In the Spanish case, at least, it was evidenced by March 8 feminism day. Summoning for sectarian demonstrations when spread of the disease called for isolation and the prohibition of all mass acts.

A second crisis threatens, an economic crisis, and it is more than doubtful that the US and Europe will be capable of collaborating with each other. Not to mention South America, Asia … Or Spain, with a government oriented towards populist propaganda, with the PSOE associated with a party of Bolivarian origin and various secessionist parties … as to attend to measures of economic orthodoxy for the common good of all Spanish people !

And there is little warning concerning what is likely to be the most serious threat: a new confrontation for world leadership is being fostered! China’s expansionist dictatorship is being given ground without being accompanied by the demand for respect for rights and freedoms. A dictatorship that is already explicitly threatening through North Korea. That supports Iran or Venezuela. And that does not hesitate to use dumping and debt traps to economically dominate his environment.

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My conclusion is that we are facing a great global challenge, that has to do with a colonialist manipulation of the media.

I emphasize the facet of colonialism because I think it is important. Influence will always exist. Even a certain degree of manipulation. But self-promotion is not the same as launching campaigns in which the central message is hating prejudice (what I call emociologies). Competing by growing is not the same as focusing on destroying opponents to control them.

Just as it is not the same to try to expand integrating rather than dominating. An imperial system is not the same as a colonial one, according to Roca Barea acceptation. And Europe is not doing well in that aspect today. It would be good to recover the spirit that tainted the beginnings of the EU. The search for collaboration, not dominance. A Europe as an empire, not a French or German colony.

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