From Salon:Have you ever wondered why Bloomberg is perpetually portrayed as an uber-popular mayor, despite consistent polls to the contrary, and despite barely winning reelection after grossly outspending his little-known opponent? Have you ever wondered how Bloomberg could be glowingly billed as a moderate liberty-loving hero even as he has trampled civil liberties and freedom in ways that would make a banana republic’s dictator blush? Have you ever wondered why the mayor of New York is a ubiquitous guest on most major news programs, even though he is but the mayor of one city?
All of that has to do with fear and desire. Simply put, there’s a fear among many in the media that Bloomberg may one day buy out their employer, and that if they don’t treat him well, they’ll be out of a job. Likewise, there’s a desire among many to get a high-paying job from Bloomberg when that buyout moment happens, or to get a fat paycheck at one of the outlets he uses to convert has-been pundits and politicos into his loyal ideological spokespeople.
Fueling rumors of Bloomberg’s impending purchases, then, simply stokes that fear and desire — which consequently expands Bloomberg’s overall influence over the media. Hence, a wildly unpopular authoritarian is typically depicted as America’s beloved “Freedom Mayor,” replete with top bookings on major shows to promote his supposed benevolence. Hence, Bloomberg-ism — read: genuflection to Wall Street, deification of the super-rich and rejection of basic civil liberties — becomes the unquestioned ideological position of many major news outlets.
10 comments:
never forget this nut is a rino....he is as progressive as a politician can be. and so is a majority of the city council.
most of the media are non journalists who have been brainwashed by their left wing instructors at the eastern journalism colleges.
"Simply put, there’s a fear among many in the media that Bloomberg may one day buy out their employer, and that if they don’t treat him well, they’ll be out of a job"
A ridiculous contention
He probably already owns it/them
Vanity
Probably because he's seen as one of them.Although at times bitchy.snipey and snarky, the media do tend to be generally chummy with their own in a convivial fashion.Particularly with a member who can hire or fire them at will and grant them entree into some rather swell and swanky circles/digs.Perhaps they fancy themselves bounding down to the E.34th St heliport @ ungodly hours Bonnie and Clyde, the Sunday Times and a basket of custom crafted brunch goodies in tow,Hamptons or Hamilton the choices on the horizon.
Bloomberg will be gone soon.
NYC will survive, after it cleans up the stable
that the "little emperor" leaves behind full of dung.
Who will remain in power--UNLESS YOU VOTERS LEARN TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES OF THE POLITICIANS' BALYY HOO, WHO WILL BE RUNNING TO REPLACE "HIZZONER"--are the real estate industry's bought and paid for candidates!
VOTE SMART TO AVOID GETTING GANG BANGED!
Unless you intend to appear on
Bloomberg Television...who really gives a flying fuck
about this fear factor?
A rich runt, is still a runt!
Voters have the BIG power,
if they're smart enough to know how to use it!
THAT MEANS GETTING INVOLVED LOCALLY!
The Mayor is a media giant and has a great and most powerful media organization. It'makes hand over fist money vs others such as the NYT - a real stinker liberal rag that won't last too long.
Anon No. 1: He's in office now because he has totally bought out the leadership of the Republican Party in this city, who may now be cutting deals with Malcolm Smith.
Is not the integrity of the once-proud Republican Party grand?
This mayor has been elected, what?, three times. Somebody out there must like him. Any bets on whether he can take a fourth. Look at the field of New York contenders before you place your bets.
Interesting perspective, but really, do we think The New York Times or Newscorp employees are worried about Bloomberg trying to acquire them? And what about local television and radio media, many of which are owned by the likes of Walt Disney Co., Viacom, Time Warner and Clear Channel Communications? Still, I do think there's an unwillingness to offend the guy, but the reasons are less than clear to me as a resident of this city.
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