The Newseum's Media Giants Display
For a museum focusing on media and its affects, the issue of media consolidation is one that needs to be adressed. In the Newseum's News History room, where visitors can view many old and new newspapers and can read about various snippets of news history. In the far corner of the hall, there is a display talking about the five big media giants. However, only three of the six basic media conglomerates are featured in a negativly conotated list (seen above): General Electric (NBC), Walt Disney (ABC), and Viacom (who actually no longer owns CBS). Notably missing are News Corperation (Fox) and Time Warner (the last is CBS). There are blurbs on both Time Warner and News Corp., but neither are as negative as the reaching hands of the others.
To be fair, Time Warner does not own any television/news stations as major as the other five, and is mostly a movie group. However, News Corp. owns the most influential and widely watched cable news station and a highly popular network television station. Why isn't News Corp. included with the others? It may be worthy to note that this particular room was sponsered by News Corp., and that is says so in a nearly hidden plaque on the other side of the room.
When your musical dramedy's characters are referred to as "wheelchair" "Asian" "other Asian" "gay kid" or "Aretha [Franklin]", you have jumped over the lines of political correctness. Fox's Glee is about as blunt and politically incorrect as a show on a mainstream channel can get- and American audiences love it. Glee is popular, critically acclaimed, and talked about- everything a news channel wants to be. News and news commentary, however, are traditionally politically correct and unbiased. Would moving the national conversation in Glee's direction- making it less politically correct- be a positive change for news media?
There would be less talk of elitists or the 'liberal media elite', certainly, and there may be a slight profit increase for some of the more sterile stations, because controversy sells. But would the loss of professionalism and respect be worth it? Fox News seems to have taken the jump, as its stars like Glenn Beck pride themselves in their blatant political incorrectness. "...the politically correct world we live in, a world where, you know, I can't even show a picture of a missing student because he's Egyptian, 'Oh, don't. What? You hate all Arabs?' No! It doesn't allow you to publicly talk about stereotypes or sensitive questions about age or race or religion. You can't even say anything about it or just ask an honest question," says Beck.
However, the insensitivity and unprofessionalness that would be projected by the media if they were to move towards a more Glee-esque conversation would be extraordinarily detrimental to America's image. The small financial gains would not outweigh the serious turn to bias and rudeness by the overall news media.
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For a museum focusing on media and its affects, the issue of media consolidation is one that needs to be adressed. In the Newseum's News History room, where visitors can view many old and new newspapers and can read about various snippets of news history. In the far corner of the hall, there is a display talking about the five big media giants. However, only three of the six basic media conglomerates are featured in a negativly conotated list (seen above): General Electric (NBC), Walt Disney (ABC), and Viacom (who actually no longer owns CBS). Notably missing are News Corperation (Fox) and Time Warner (the last is CBS). There are blurbs on both Time Warner and News Corp., but neither are as negative as the reaching hands of the others. 
To be fair, Time Warner does not own any television/news stations as major as the other five, and is mostly a movie group. However, News Corp. owns the most influential and widely watched cable news station and a highly popular network television station. Why isn't News Corp. included with the others? It may be worthy to note that this particular room was sponsered by News Corp., and that is says so in a nearly hidden plaque on the other side of the room. 
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