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If you're a newspaper baron running propaganda pieces hyping the CIA's moral righteousness in executing the leaders of yet another elected democracy, you're not exactly going to have doubts about their ability to kill you and everyone you love to the sound of media trumpets.

The more concentrated media is, the fewer families TPTB need to threaten with violence for not keeping the newspapers on message. It's really very convenient.

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That's an oversimplification on two points: one, media barons do not need to be threatened to be made supporters of a policy regime that largely benefits them. Secondly, not only the owners need to go along with it, there has to be a cultural thing about agreeing with the line.

Rupert Murdoch fires journalists who step out of line within hours. Doesn't take long for the new editorial culture to emerge within businesses he's acquired.

Looking at you, Vice.

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