[randcraw]

Actually, thank Ron as well. I blame the end of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 for ending the open exchange of ideas and enabling the rise of polarized media oligopolies and local monopolies. Anything run only by giant corporations is soul killing. It's inescapable.

Craigslist and Google sealed the deal by eliminating ad revenue from the diverse media outlets that existed prior to 2000 (now long gone), thereby killing off all but the largest media outlets. Henceforth, all forms of entertainment has to be "giant corporate approved" in order to cut a distribution deal to sell the pap-ish drivel that corporate suits demand. Welcome to the machine, indeed.