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Originally Posted by thefictionweliv
In the current society AOL/Time Warner and Clear Channel already do control most media outlets, down to many of the billboards, the government does nothing as it is to prevent monopolies in its present state. Microsoft is a joke compared to how much Clear Channel controls what you see and hear. Government regulation virtually kills any idea of a small privately owned television or radio station even though the technology is affordable.
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The "deregulation" of the media during the 90s and early 2000s was not "deregulation," but regulation in favor of the media companies. There used to be regulations preventing large mergers, saying that you could only own a low number of television or radio stations, etc. Those regulations have been removed. That's why the media is so large now.
The main media regulation of the media still in place is yes, designed to prevent small companies to get started. It's in the form of bandwidth regulation. For example, there are only so many FM radio stations available for the technological regions. In most areas, the bandwidth is all already owned. If the government removed this regulation, then a small company could try to broadcast on the same bandwidth. If there is to be no government regulation, then there can be no base for a suit in either direction, so the large company would just have to broadcast a stronger single or take other actions (illegal actions not out of the question) to remove the smaller company from competition. This has happened in history (not with media).
Of course baring the following fact, the small company might have enough money to start taking over the media with stronger signals. However, the existing media forms public opinion. Public opinion will be that the small radio stations are evil, just trying to enchroach on the public's programming. The public will be outraged and boycott the small company. The end.