[Bucephalus355]

FWIW, all audio/video communication technologies have been some what comically overestimated in their abilities. Two examples:

- Henry Ford, believing that since “sight” was the universal language, movies (along with airplanes) would unite all people and places - Many people who believed television was so captivating when it first started to be introduced in the late 20s and early 30s, that it would replace nearly all books and teachers in schools

I think people adapt really well to technologies more than we give them credit for. Of course the first few years lots of scams and dangers can arise, but they are figured out somewhat quickly by the powers that be.

[Miredly]

I'm sorry, but your example falls a little flat when you look at how Fox News became the lynchpin of the shit-show the US is sinking in to right now.

People adapted to it, sure- but that's the problem.

[danShumway]

Do we have evidence that Fox News on the television is significantly more disruptive than, say, radio programs[0] were before it?

0: https://www.gimletmedia.com/reply-all/86-man-of-the-people

[Spivak]

If a single TV station had the power you describe you would think they might be a little more successful at using it by now. Not saying they have no effect, but if the station never existed I don't think our history would be drastically different.

[gowld]

What's make you think they are unsuccessful?

Sure, a TV station can't annoint a President of whatever. The power to destroy is a weaker power than the power to create, but is still an immense power.

Rupert Murdoch's lifelong business philosophy is that all information gatekeepers should be destroyed, so that no one's opinion (or facts) are elevated over any other's. It's pure libertarian-democracy of ideas that throws the baby (education and critical thinking) out with the bathwater (suppression of outsider voices). The modern "Internet of Trolls" is the culmination of his philosophy.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2011/jul/18/reb...