[ad_1]
They consistently allow acquisitive mega-corporations to become even more mega. Facebook bought Instagram. Google bought YouTube. Disney seemingly owns every valuable intellectual property under the sun, from Marvel’s galaxy of superheroes to the stormtroopers and Jedi knights of Star Wars, and Amazon is on pace to own what’s left.
But they also prohibit smaller companies, like the one I work for, from banding together to negotiate content deals with a company like Twitter.
Social media companies like Twitter, Facebook, Google, et. al., do not generally produce content. They profit from other people’s content shared willingly, and sometimes unwillingly, on their various platforms. This has been fantastic for the tech titans, who enjoy mountains of profit and far less fantastic for those who produce the content.
The internet revolution drained profits away from traditional media companies using the very content those companies produce. It’s a hell of a thing.
And, for various misguided reasons, the traditional media companies have been complicit.
I’m baffled when I see journalists thumb their scoops into Twitter or Facebook posts, often before they ever get around to turning those scoops into content for their publications. I understand the impulse. Everybody wants to be first, and all those likes and retweets and follows are digital dopamine, but who profits from that model?
People like Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey, mostly, and far less so the people actually signing the paycheck for those journalists.
Social media can be an effective way for content producers to reach their audiences, sure, though its value is vastly overstated, but even a generous cost-benefit analysis of the relationship shows it’s skewed heavily in favor of the tech giants.
The same tech giants, I think most of us can agree, that already wield far too much influence over our society.
We’re having a rollicking national debate over what to do about that outsized influence — as one example, conservative commentator Steven Crowder has announced a lawsuit against Google over the company’s vaguely justified efforts to suppress his admittedly controversial content on YouTube — and there is something we can do on that front that would also reassert the control of creators over their content.
The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act would allow media companies both large and small to organize themselves into associations and bargain collectively with the tech giants for use of their content.
If passed, it would be a recognition of the same right of association that people who join labor unions or the National Rifle Association enjoy, and it would companies like Twitter and Facebook to be accountable to the people who create the content that drives the bulk of their revenues.
The bipartisan legislation — its primary sponsor is Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, but Republicans like Sens. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky are co-sponsors — would be a win for traditional media companies and also the public concerned with the excessive clout of Big Tech.
The only thing standing in the way is the aforementioned anti-trust policies.
Klobuchar’s bill should pass, and the anti-trust restrictions should be eased so that some balance can be restored to the process through which most Americans get their news.
To comment on this article, visit www.sayanythingblog.com
Rob Port, founder of SayAnythingBlog.com, is a Forum Communications commentator. Reach him on Twitter at @robport or via email at rport@forumcomm.com.
[ad_2]
Source link
168703 625227TeenVogue? Looking for fashion advice, celebrity buzz or beauty trends? Locate it all in Teen Vogue 438827
309677 263494I want to start a blog written by a fictitious character commenting on politics, current events, news etc..How?. 422249
410284 934930I like the helpful information you offer within your articles. Ill bookmark your weblog and check once more here regularly. Im quite certain I will learn lots of new stuff appropriate here! Best of luck for the next! 57854
803276 380437Intending start up a enterprise around the web involves revealing marketing plus items not only to girls locally, yet somehow to several buyers who are web-based as a rule. e-learning 406911
233427 633941The Spirit of the Lord is with them that fear him. 345946
63811 464178Just a smiling visitor here to share the really like (:, btw great pattern . 476049
282176 168676hey good website i will definaely come back and see again. 58667
214323 175681very good post, i actually love this web internet site, carry on it 643427
800358 636918Hello! Someone in my Facebook group shared this web site with us so I came to appear it over. Im undoubtedly enjoying the details. Im book-marking and is going to be tweeting this to my followers! Outstanding blog and superb style and design. 764228
534337 903400I certainly did not realize that. Learnt something new proper now! Thanks for that. 86483
986325 397365Merely wanna input on few general issues, The internet site design is perfect, the topic material is rattling superb : D. 535510
434063 388791Does your web site have a contact page? Im having trouble locating it but, Id like to send you an email. Ive got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, excellent blog and I look forward to seeing it develop over time. 11968
277721 858035I believe other internet site owners ought to take this website as an example , quite clean and fantastic user genial style . 141268
479755 814599Spot lets start function on this write-up, I truly believe this incredible internet site requirements a lot far more consideration. Ill apt to be once once more to read a great deal more, many thanks for that information. 821919
89082 573247Terrific work! That is the type of info that should be shared around the net. 470238
225809 360599It is genuinely a good and useful piece of info. Im glad that you just shared this valuable info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing. 148077
198015 984507Some truly nice stuff on this internet website , I like it. 622880
788527 337416I just added this weblog to my rss reader, outstanding stuff. I like your writing style. 836775
960805 777977Some truly good and utilitarian details on this web web site , likewise I think the design and style holds amazing capabilities. 689858
910153 243356Very clear internet site , regards for this post. 597684
623060 849895Utilizing writers exercises such as chunking. They use several websites that contain several creative writing exercises. Writers read an exercise, and do it. 431012
566951 43127Amaze! Thank you! I constantly wished to produce in my internet internet site a thing like that. Can I take element with the publish to my weblog? 923042
677843 242495Wohh just what I was searching for, thanks for putting up. 876115