July 18, 2025 • 18 mins
People-powered, AI-Generated
Part 1-5 of 5: Substack Series: Media Captured: The Authoritarian Playbook Unveiled - Season 4, Episode 4
In our 4th episode for Season 4 where we focus on reclaiming a soul of a nation focused on analysis of the billionaire fascists buying up the media to control you, a 5-part series focused on renewing American ideals and values to make this a great republic again. We start the discussion with an intro/outro song "Remote Control (They Play You)" and then analyze these articles explaining how the billionaires are going after late night comedy starting with "Late Night with Stephen Colbert" because they think they can buy their way into their own Christian Dominionist society. Time to take back the brand New Enlightenment Republicanism from the partisans and factions destroying the country and renew the brand Republican to what the founders meant, not surprisingly, most Americans would agree on their values and ideals.
To read the documents discussed in this episode:
Part 1 of 5:
https://guywolf070425.substack.com/p/part-i-colbert-cancelled-skydance?r=5d8qd2
Part 2 of 5:
https://guywolf070425.substack.com/p/part-2-of-5-the-algorithm-becomes?r=5d8qd2
Part 3 of 5:
https://guywolf070425.substack.com/p/part-3-of-5-how-the-entertainment?r=5d8qd2
Part 4 of 5:
https://guywolf070425.substack.com/p/part-4-of-5-rebuilding-the-mountain?r=5d8qd2
Part 5 of 5:
https://guywolf070425.substack.com/p/part-5-of-5-a-strategic-resistance?r=5d8qd2
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
They cancel triple prime time, but we see through the headline.
Don't brush that down. You're just my fight.
You're the product. They want your mind.
Click, click. Cobra gone.
May 2020 clicks. Even though number one rain's
hot cash flow flooding by the axe.
It ain't no fun. Sky dance slid in, but the
(00:20):
throne backed by billionaires onthe phone. 7 mountains.
Yeah, climb faith, biz, Gov and media's mind.
It's not foul satire. Kill descent.
Call it budget, but it's just red written minds written time.
Authoritarian by dare to sign. Tell me why the jokes are gone.
Low fascists fill the air. They flood the zone with noise
(00:45):
but silence those who dare by the networks.
Kill the truth. Yeah, that's the game.
Control the channel, control theyouth.
They control the blame. Remote control, they play you.
Feed the lies and hide a few. It's a warring.
You're the prize. Don't sweep, Don't let this
(01:06):
normalize. They cut the show, but not the
strings. Scripted fear with public kings.
Sky Dance plays the mountain top, but we're the ones who can
make it stop. Money moves and shadow deals.
Cancel culture, not steel. Steel cage wrapped in cable news
where every lie is a power tool.Late night truth got shut down
(01:29):
clean because truth don't sell that fascist dream.
It's not the last they really fear.
It's when you start to think tooclear.
Every dollar you spends a foe, every silence keeps the boat
floating toward the strongman shore.
But we ain't take it no more. Remote control.
They play you. Change the game, don't let them
(01:50):
play. You cut the corner, kill the
stream, starve the beast, rebuild the dream, push back on
the propaganda, climb your mountain, light your Lantern.
Media ain't just a show, it's the stage where futures grow.
They took the mic, but we got the echo.
(02:12):
Turn off the tap or democracy's a rap.
There's something really powerful about shared purpose,
isn't there? Like a song that just clicks,
gets everyone on the same page, you know, aiming for freedom,
liberty, equality. Especially when things feel,
(02:34):
well, pretty insidious out there.
Yeah, like there's this tide rising.
Exactly. And today we're going deep.
It's going to be serious, maybe a bit contentious, looking at
how our society, and particularly our media, is being
changed right under our noses. That's right our mission today
is to really unpack this five part series media captured the
(02:54):
authoritarian playbook unveiled and these sources they laid out
what they call a strategic takeover.
It's about critical infrastructure, especially
media, but it's not just about identifying the problem.
They also offer like a full roadmap for how people can push
back. So our pull out the key Nuggets,
the really important stuff so you can get a solid handle on
what's happening and you know what can actually be done.
(03:17):
And the core argument in these sources, it's pretty stark.
You see the world seeing this concerning rise in
authoritarianism. Yeah, it's hard to miss.
And this material we're digging into, it shows how that's
playing out, specifically focusing on the influence of,
well, Trump aligned billionairesand certain ideological
movements on the media landscape.
And we want to show you how thisisn't just, you know, politics
(03:38):
in the usual sense. It really gets down to the
information you consume everydayand the stories that shape how
we all understand the world. So let's kick things off with
this first case the sources highlight.
It's pretty shocking, actually. The cancellation of The Late
Show. Stephen Colbert.
Oh yeah. Set for May 2026 and you look at
(03:59):
the facts, it was making seriousmoney, like $100 million a year
according to Statista 2025. Wow.
And ratings through the roof. Nielsen to 2025 had it as the
most watched comedy news for 18 to 49 year olds.
Yeah, the big question the sources raised is why?
Why cancel? Show that successful.
It really makes you stop and think, doesn't it?
And the sources, they don't justchalk it up to, you know, a
(04:20):
simple business decision. They connect it straight to
Skydance Media buying Paramount Global.
And what's really interesting here is the context.
That deal was endorsed by DonaldTrump, funded by Larry Ellison,
a major Trump donor who's also the father of the Skydance CEO.
And the sources present this as,quote, a next phase in an
ideological war. So it looks like a corporate
(04:43):
shuffle on the surface, but theyargue it's actually about
actively suppressing voices. Voices holding power
accountable. Exactly.
Sending a message basically comply or disappear.
It's pretty chilling stuff. And they backed this up with
specifics, right? Like Colbert publicly slamming
Paramount settlement with Trump over that 60 Minutes lawsuit.
(05:04):
He called it a big fat bribe. Yeah.
And then, boom, just days later,the cancellation news drops.
And it wasn't just him saying it.
The sources mentioned lawmakers like Senator Warren and
Representative Shift demanding answers.
Right. So the material really forces
the question. Was he silenced just for
speaking out? And to get the bigger picture
here, the sources bring in this concept called the Seven
(05:24):
Mountain Mandate. OK, what's that?
It's described as a Christian nationalist ideology.
The aim is to gain control over 7 specific areas or mountains of
society, media, government, education, business, religion,
family and arts and entertainment.
And importantly, the sources saymedia is seen as the quote
(05:44):
linchpin. The key one.
Yeah, because according to this view, it controls what people
believe, what they fear, who they trust and what gets
ignored. So the insight here isn't just
about, you know, capitalism or market share.
It's framed as conquest. Precisely a strategy to sort of
neutralize things like satire, push progressive voices to the
margins, all while looking like just normal entertainment
(06:06):
business. Yeah.
And they even name name suggestions like David Rhodes,
who used to be at Fox News and CBS News maybe taking over CBS
News or Bari Vice, shaping the editorial direction for
streaming content. It's all presented as part of
this larger ideological. Push.
So if that's happening in tradition, media, the sources
then pivot to, well, maybe an even bigger battlefield, the
(06:27):
algorithms deciding what we see online.
Exactly That brings us to Part 2of the series The Algorithm
Becomes the Editor. How Trump aligned billionaires
are seizing the mountain of media via social media
algorithms. Right, this section really
drives home how digital platforms are a key front in
(06:49):
this whole thing. Yeah, the sources explain how
algorithms on places like X, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube,
they're basically built to push emotionally charged stuff.
Gets more clicks that way. Right, but more than that, they
point to what they call a reported structural bias
favoring conservative or right wing political content.
You mean the algorithm itself leans that way?
That's what the sources are, yeah.
(07:10):
They give examples like X's algorithm supposedly boosting
Republican voices after Elon Musk endorsed Trump back in mid
2024. That even triggered an the EU
investigation apparently. And there have been audits
finding that right leaning usersand even like neutral test
accounts just get shown way moreright wing content in the
recommendation feeds. And it's not just boosting, is
it? The sources talk about this
(07:32):
digital radicalization pipeline.That sounds serious.
It does. They cite experiments by groups
like Global Witness and academics too, showing how
quickly new users can get pushedtowards far right content like
disproportionately. For example.
Well, they mentioned TikTok recommendations apparently
favoring Germany's far right Afdparty, and Axios apparently
(07:54):
observed Gen. Z users kind of being steered
into the Magaverse sometimes through stuff that looks like
just lifestyle content. Sneaky.
Yeah, it's subtle. And all this creates the perfect
conditions for, you know, echo chambers, filter bubbles.
Where you only hear what you already agree with.
Exactly. And then there's the rage bait
content that just fuels polarization.
(08:14):
There's a clear financial model.You monetize the anger, the
disinformation. So connecting the dots, the
sources seem to be saying it's a2 pronged attack.
That's the argument. Control the source of the
stories, like the traditional media deals, Skydance,
Paramount, and control how thosestories spread using these
algorithms. It's about shaping the whole
information environment. OK, so that's a pretty bleak
(08:35):
picture of media capture. What does that mean for you?
For the person just trying to figure out what's true.
Right, and that's the crucial pivot.
The sources don't just leave youwith the problem, they move into
how to fight back. Which brings us to Part 4.
Exactly. Part 4 Rebuilding the mountain
of media. How the resistance can reclaim
the narrative. The focus shifts here from
(08:56):
diagnosis to OK, What are the actual responses?
It raises that vital question, how can regular people actually
resist this kind of capture of mass communication?
And the sources lay out some pretty clear principles for what
a democratic media could look like.
Let's unpack those. OK, first up, decentralized
journalism. What does that mean in practice?
(09:17):
Well, it means actively supporting independent
platforms. Think Sub Stack, Ghost,
Mastodon, places outside the bigcorporate structures and funding
them differently, maybe through cooperatives or nonprofits so
they stay independent. Got it.
Then there's public media infrastructure.
Yeah, basically arguing for reinvesting seriously in
independent public broadcasting.They point to models like in the
(09:38):
Nordic countries as examples where that works well.
OK. And this one seems huge.
Media literacy at scale. Absolutely critical, The source
of stress. It's like the essential defense
against disinformation. They even cite Finland's
success. Apparently embedding media
education in schools correlates with really high resistance to
propaganda. The European Commission noted
(09:59):
that back in 2019. Fascinating.
And the last one, support for independent investigative
journalism. Right protecting and, crucially,
funding nonprofit newsrooms likePro Publica or The Intercept
places doing the deep digging, uncovering corruption.
They mentioned the Popular information newsletter from 2023
as a case study of the kind of impact that can have.
(10:20):
So the core idea isn't just complaining about the problem.
No, not at all. It's about actively building the
counterpower, as the sources putit, through things like
community owned networks, citizen journalism, comedy that
actually back, and those grassroots education efforts.
OK, that makes sense, but how does someone actually do that?
It sounds big. Well, that's where Part 5 comes
in. It gets really practical.
(10:42):
A strategic resistance road map.Week by week action plan to
reclaim media, culture and democracy.
This gives you a tangible blueprint.
A week by week plan. Let's hear it.
Yeah, the source material lays it out tactically.
The idea is that real resistanceisn't just one big protest, it's
consistent smaller actions disrupting the playbook they
described. So like the first few weeks are
(11:04):
about your own media habits and building community.
Week 1 you audit your own subscriptions, see which ones
might be tied to those 7 mountain mandate aligned groups
the sources talk about, then cancel or pause them and shift
that money to independent outlets and tell people you did
it. Week 2 focuses on rebuilding
locally. Maybe help start a local
(11:24):
newsletter, a podcast, a community substack, seed it with
donations. Maybe translate key stories into
different languages like Spanishor Arabic.
Launch hashtags like Hashtag Rebuild, Media Mountain.
So personal action first, then community building, What next?
Then it moves into bigger picture stuff.
Advocacy Policy Week 3 is about demanding change, writing or
(11:47):
emailing your reps The FCC specifically pushing for
something called the Media Ownership Reform Act MRRA.
MRA, tell us about that. Right, the sources explain.
MRA is proposed legislation aimed squarely at media
consolidation. It's designed to encourage
diverse ownership and prevent the kind of big corporate
takeovers like the Skydance dealthat concentrate media power.
(12:10):
So it directly tackles the issuewe discussed earlier.
OK, that's concrete. What about the later weeks they
keep? Building week 4 is algorithmic
resistance assistance, trying toopt out of those manipulative
feeds, maybe using Mastodon or RSS readers, sharing creators
directly. Week 5 involves media literacy
campaigns, hosting workshops, sharing research on how to spot
algorithmic bias. Week 6 is about showcasing the
(12:31):
good stuff, independent journalism, satire, maybe
organizing watch parties for Colbert style content.
And then it broadens out to coalition building in week 7,
connecting with global groups and scaling impact in week 8.
Finding promising indie media projects and helping them grow.
Maybe setting up co-ops? Wow, that's quite detailed and
it's not just a one shot deal. Right, definitely not.
The sources really emphasize sustaining long term resistance.
(12:53):
They suggest things like reauditing your media diet every
quarter, holding media literacy refreshers every six months.
It's about building new habits. In this road map, it has some
theoretical grounding. Yeah, absolutely.
It draws heavily on Gene Sharp'sprinciples of nonviolent action.
Gene Sharp, known for his work on nonviolent struggle.
Exactly. He was a political scientist who
(13:15):
detailed how things like organizing economic pressure,
like those subscription boycotts, cultural work, and
nonviolent protests can shift power even against authoritarian
regimes. His framework provides a solid
basis for this kind of resistance, and the sources
reiterate that media literacy and decentralization aren't just
theories. They're proven tactics, pointing
(13:36):
again to Finland's resilience against disinformation as
evidence. They also include important
safeguards like digital securitytips, advice on avoiding
infighting within the movement and stressing diverse funding
for independence. OK, so let's pull this all
together. We've looked at how the sources
described this deliberate, pervasive capture of media and
(13:56):
culture. Right from cancelling shows to
manipulating algorithms. But crucially, we've also walked
through this detailed road map for resistance.
The main message seems pretty clear.
Authoritarianism likes isolation.
It wants people confused. But collective action, focusing
on shared truth and these decentralized efforts, those are
(14:18):
the things that build democraticresilience.
And connecting it to the bigger picture, really, it's about
deciding to be part of creating the future you actually want to
see, not just accepting the one someone else might be trying to
impose. Yeah, which I think raises a
really important question for you, for everyone listening.
How are you going to contribute?How will you help rebuild that
media mountain and defend democratic stories in your own
(14:40):
life, in your community? That's the key question and we
really encourage you to talk about this deep dive with other
people. You know, talk about it in
person, online. The sources give you concrete
things to do. Yeah, from checking your
subscriptions to backing independent media.
To pushing for policy changes like that Media Ownership Reform
Act. Maybe think about starting
(15:00):
something local, you know, a decentralized resistance group,
or joining existing ones that focus on nonviolent action to
protect freedom and liberty. Because ultimately, the power
really does come from understanding what's happening
and then acting on that understanding.
The sources hammer this home. Critical thinking, widespread
media literacy. They're absolutely essential in
(15:22):
this information saturated world.
Absolutely, and if you found this deep dive useful, please
consider subscribing. It helps support our work, helps
us keep bringing you these kindsof analysis.
We really believe that sharing these insights can help you take
action and be part of building that better world.
Yeah, In the end, reclaiming that collective freedom, it
starts with individuals, individual actions that ripple
(15:43):
outwards, becoming a movement. It's about being, you know, a
brick in that wall of democraticresistance.
They cancel triple prime time, but we see through the headline
Don't trust that die. You just might fight.
You're the product. They want your mind.
Click click. Cobra gone.
May 2022 exceeding dole #1 rain's hot cash flow flooding by
(16:05):
the axe. It ain't no fun.
Sky dance slid in, but the throne. 5 billionaires on the
phone, 7 mountains. Yeah, they climb.
Faith, biz, golf and media's mine.
It's not foul satire. Kill descent.
Call it budget, but it's just red.
Written minds, written time. Authoritarian by their design.
(16:27):
Tell me why the jokes are gone. Low fascists fill the air.
They flood the zone with noise but silence.
Those who dare fire the networkskill the truth.
Yeah, that's the game. Control the channel.
Control the youth. They control the blame.
Remote control. They play you feeding lies and
(16:50):
high def you. It's a warning.
You're the prize. So sweet.
Don't let this normalize. They cut the show, but not the
strings. Scripted fear with puppet kings.
Sky Dance plays the mountain top.
But we're the ones who can make it stop.
Money moves and shadow deals. Cancel culture not steel.
(17:12):
Steel cage wrapped in cable newswhere every lie is a power tool.
Late night truth got shut down clean because truth don't sell
that fascist dream. It's not the last they really
fear. It's when you start to think too
clear. Every dollar you spend's a foe.
Every silence keeps the boat floating toward the strongman
(17:33):
shore. But we ain't taking it no more.
Remote control. They play, you change the game.
Don't let them play. You cut the corner, kill the
stream, starve the beast, rebuild the dream, push back on
the propaganda, Climb your mountain, light your Lantern.
Media ain't just a show. It's a stage where futures grow.
They cancel triple prime time, but we see through the headline.
Don't brush that down. You're just my fight.
You're the product. They want your mind.
Click, click. Cobra gone.
May 2020 clicks. Even though number one rain's
hot cash flow flooding by the axe.
It ain't no fun. Sky dance slid in, but the
(00:20):
throne backed by billionaires onthe phone. 7 mountains.
Yeah, climb faith, biz, Gov and media's mind.
It's not foul satire. Kill descent.
Call it budget, but it's just red written minds written time.
Authoritarian by dare to sign. Tell me why the jokes are gone.
Low fascists fill the air. They flood the zone with noise
(00:45):
but silence those who dare by the networks.
Kill the truth. Yeah, that's the game.
Control the channel, control theyouth.
They control the blame. Remote control, they play you.
Feed the lies and hide a few. It's a warring.
You're the prize. Don't sweep, Don't let this
(01:06):
normalize. They cut the show, but not the
strings. Scripted fear with public kings.
Sky Dance plays the mountain top, but we're the ones who can
make it stop. Money moves and shadow deals.
Cancel culture, not steel. Steel cage wrapped in cable news
where every lie is a power tool.Late night truth got shut down
(01:29):
clean because truth don't sell that fascist dream.
It's not the last they really fear.
It's when you start to think tooclear.
Every dollar you spends a foe, every silence keeps the boat
floating toward the strongman shore.
But we ain't take it no more. Remote control.
They play you. Change the game, don't let them
(01:50):
play. You cut the corner, kill the
stream, starve the beast, rebuild the dream, push back on
the propaganda, climb your mountain, light your Lantern.
Media ain't just a show, it's the stage where futures grow.
They took the mic, but we got the echo.
(02:12):
Turn off the tap or democracy's a rap.
There's something really powerful about shared purpose,
isn't there? Like a song that just clicks,
gets everyone on the same page, you know, aiming for freedom,
liberty, equality. Especially when things feel,
(02:34):
well, pretty insidious out there.
Yeah, like there's this tide rising.
Exactly. And today we're going deep.
It's going to be serious, maybe a bit contentious, looking at
how our society, and particularly our media, is being
changed right under our noses. That's right our mission today
is to really unpack this five part series media captured the
(02:54):
authoritarian playbook unveiled and these sources they laid out
what they call a strategic takeover.
It's about critical infrastructure, especially
media, but it's not just about identifying the problem.
They also offer like a full roadmap for how people can push
back. So our pull out the key Nuggets,
the really important stuff so you can get a solid handle on
what's happening and you know what can actually be done.
(03:17):
And the core argument in these sources, it's pretty stark.
You see the world seeing this concerning rise in
authoritarianism. Yeah, it's hard to miss.
And this material we're digging into, it shows how that's
playing out, specifically focusing on the influence of,
well, Trump aligned billionairesand certain ideological
movements on the media landscape.
And we want to show you how thisisn't just, you know, politics
(03:38):
in the usual sense. It really gets down to the
information you consume everydayand the stories that shape how
we all understand the world. So let's kick things off with
this first case the sources highlight.
It's pretty shocking, actually. The cancellation of The Late
Show. Stephen Colbert.
Oh yeah. Set for May 2026 and you look at
(03:59):
the facts, it was making seriousmoney, like $100 million a year
according to Statista 2025. Wow.
And ratings through the roof. Nielsen to 2025 had it as the
most watched comedy news for 18 to 49 year olds.
Yeah, the big question the sources raised is why?
Why cancel? Show that successful.
It really makes you stop and think, doesn't it?
And the sources, they don't justchalk it up to, you know, a
(04:20):
simple business decision. They connect it straight to
Skydance Media buying Paramount Global.
And what's really interesting here is the context.
That deal was endorsed by DonaldTrump, funded by Larry Ellison,
a major Trump donor who's also the father of the Skydance CEO.
And the sources present this as,quote, a next phase in an
ideological war. So it looks like a corporate
(04:43):
shuffle on the surface, but theyargue it's actually about
actively suppressing voices. Voices holding power
accountable. Exactly.
Sending a message basically comply or disappear.
It's pretty chilling stuff. And they backed this up with
specifics, right? Like Colbert publicly slamming
Paramount settlement with Trump over that 60 Minutes lawsuit.
(05:04):
He called it a big fat bribe. Yeah.
And then, boom, just days later,the cancellation news drops.
And it wasn't just him saying it.
The sources mentioned lawmakers like Senator Warren and
Representative Shift demanding answers.
Right. So the material really forces
the question. Was he silenced just for
speaking out? And to get the bigger picture
here, the sources bring in this concept called the Seven
(05:24):
Mountain Mandate. OK, what's that?
It's described as a Christian nationalist ideology.
The aim is to gain control over 7 specific areas or mountains of
society, media, government, education, business, religion,
family and arts and entertainment.
And importantly, the sources saymedia is seen as the quote
(05:44):
linchpin. The key one.
Yeah, because according to this view, it controls what people
believe, what they fear, who they trust and what gets
ignored. So the insight here isn't just
about, you know, capitalism or market share.
It's framed as conquest. Precisely a strategy to sort of
neutralize things like satire, push progressive voices to the
margins, all while looking like just normal entertainment
(06:06):
business. Yeah.
And they even name name suggestions like David Rhodes,
who used to be at Fox News and CBS News maybe taking over CBS
News or Bari Vice, shaping the editorial direction for
streaming content. It's all presented as part of
this larger ideological. Push.
So if that's happening in tradition, media, the sources
then pivot to, well, maybe an even bigger battlefield, the
(06:27):
algorithms deciding what we see online.
Exactly That brings us to Part 2of the series The Algorithm
Becomes the Editor. How Trump aligned billionaires
are seizing the mountain of media via social media
algorithms. Right, this section really
drives home how digital platforms are a key front in
(06:49):
this whole thing. Yeah, the sources explain how
algorithms on places like X, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube,
they're basically built to push emotionally charged stuff.
Gets more clicks that way. Right, but more than that, they
point to what they call a reported structural bias
favoring conservative or right wing political content.
You mean the algorithm itself leans that way?
That's what the sources are, yeah.
(07:10):
They give examples like X's algorithm supposedly boosting
Republican voices after Elon Musk endorsed Trump back in mid
2024. That even triggered an the EU
investigation apparently. And there have been audits
finding that right leaning usersand even like neutral test
accounts just get shown way moreright wing content in the
recommendation feeds. And it's not just boosting, is
it? The sources talk about this
(07:32):
digital radicalization pipeline.That sounds serious.
It does. They cite experiments by groups
like Global Witness and academics too, showing how
quickly new users can get pushedtowards far right content like
disproportionately. For example.
Well, they mentioned TikTok recommendations apparently
favoring Germany's far right Afdparty, and Axios apparently
(07:54):
observed Gen. Z users kind of being steered
into the Magaverse sometimes through stuff that looks like
just lifestyle content. Sneaky.
Yeah, it's subtle. And all this creates the perfect
conditions for, you know, echo chambers, filter bubbles.
Where you only hear what you already agree with.
Exactly. And then there's the rage bait
content that just fuels polarization.
(08:14):
There's a clear financial model.You monetize the anger, the
disinformation. So connecting the dots, the
sources seem to be saying it's a2 pronged attack.
That's the argument. Control the source of the
stories, like the traditional media deals, Skydance,
Paramount, and control how thosestories spread using these
algorithms. It's about shaping the whole
information environment. OK, so that's a pretty bleak
(08:35):
picture of media capture. What does that mean for you?
For the person just trying to figure out what's true.
Right, and that's the crucial pivot.
The sources don't just leave youwith the problem, they move into
how to fight back. Which brings us to Part 4.
Exactly. Part 4 Rebuilding the mountain
of media. How the resistance can reclaim
the narrative. The focus shifts here from
(08:56):
diagnosis to OK, What are the actual responses?
It raises that vital question, how can regular people actually
resist this kind of capture of mass communication?
And the sources lay out some pretty clear principles for what
a democratic media could look like.
Let's unpack those. OK, first up, decentralized
journalism. What does that mean in practice?
(09:17):
Well, it means actively supporting independent
platforms. Think Sub Stack, Ghost,
Mastodon, places outside the bigcorporate structures and funding
them differently, maybe through cooperatives or nonprofits so
they stay independent. Got it.
Then there's public media infrastructure.
Yeah, basically arguing for reinvesting seriously in
independent public broadcasting.They point to models like in the
(09:38):
Nordic countries as examples where that works well.
OK. And this one seems huge.
Media literacy at scale. Absolutely critical, The source
of stress. It's like the essential defense
against disinformation. They even cite Finland's
success. Apparently embedding media
education in schools correlates with really high resistance to
propaganda. The European Commission noted
(09:59):
that back in 2019. Fascinating.
And the last one, support for independent investigative
journalism. Right protecting and, crucially,
funding nonprofit newsrooms likePro Publica or The Intercept
places doing the deep digging, uncovering corruption.
They mentioned the Popular information newsletter from 2023
as a case study of the kind of impact that can have.
(10:20):
So the core idea isn't just complaining about the problem.
No, not at all. It's about actively building the
counterpower, as the sources putit, through things like
community owned networks, citizen journalism, comedy that
actually back, and those grassroots education efforts.
OK, that makes sense, but how does someone actually do that?
It sounds big. Well, that's where Part 5 comes
in. It gets really practical.
(10:42):
A strategic resistance road map.Week by week action plan to
reclaim media, culture and democracy.
This gives you a tangible blueprint.
A week by week plan. Let's hear it.
Yeah, the source material lays it out tactically.
The idea is that real resistanceisn't just one big protest, it's
consistent smaller actions disrupting the playbook they
described. So like the first few weeks are
(11:04):
about your own media habits and building community.
Week 1 you audit your own subscriptions, see which ones
might be tied to those 7 mountain mandate aligned groups
the sources talk about, then cancel or pause them and shift
that money to independent outlets and tell people you did
it. Week 2 focuses on rebuilding
locally. Maybe help start a local
(11:24):
newsletter, a podcast, a community substack, seed it with
donations. Maybe translate key stories into
different languages like Spanishor Arabic.
Launch hashtags like Hashtag Rebuild, Media Mountain.
So personal action first, then community building, What next?
Then it moves into bigger picture stuff.
Advocacy Policy Week 3 is about demanding change, writing or
(11:47):
emailing your reps The FCC specifically pushing for
something called the Media Ownership Reform Act MRRA.
MRA, tell us about that. Right, the sources explain.
MRA is proposed legislation aimed squarely at media
consolidation. It's designed to encourage
diverse ownership and prevent the kind of big corporate
takeovers like the Skydance dealthat concentrate media power.
(12:10):
So it directly tackles the issuewe discussed earlier.
OK, that's concrete. What about the later weeks they
keep? Building week 4 is algorithmic
resistance assistance, trying toopt out of those manipulative
feeds, maybe using Mastodon or RSS readers, sharing creators
directly. Week 5 involves media literacy
campaigns, hosting workshops, sharing research on how to spot
algorithmic bias. Week 6 is about showcasing the
(12:31):
good stuff, independent journalism, satire, maybe
organizing watch parties for Colbert style content.
And then it broadens out to coalition building in week 7,
connecting with global groups and scaling impact in week 8.
Finding promising indie media projects and helping them grow.
Maybe setting up co-ops? Wow, that's quite detailed and
it's not just a one shot deal. Right, definitely not.
The sources really emphasize sustaining long term resistance.
(12:53):
They suggest things like reauditing your media diet every
quarter, holding media literacy refreshers every six months.
It's about building new habits. In this road map, it has some
theoretical grounding. Yeah, absolutely.
It draws heavily on Gene Sharp'sprinciples of nonviolent action.
Gene Sharp, known for his work on nonviolent struggle.
Exactly. He was a political scientist who
(13:15):
detailed how things like organizing economic pressure,
like those subscription boycotts, cultural work, and
nonviolent protests can shift power even against authoritarian
regimes. His framework provides a solid
basis for this kind of resistance, and the sources
reiterate that media literacy and decentralization aren't just
theories. They're proven tactics, pointing
(13:36):
again to Finland's resilience against disinformation as
evidence. They also include important
safeguards like digital securitytips, advice on avoiding
infighting within the movement and stressing diverse funding
for independence. OK, so let's pull this all
together. We've looked at how the sources
described this deliberate, pervasive capture of media and
(13:56):
culture. Right from cancelling shows to
manipulating algorithms. But crucially, we've also walked
through this detailed road map for resistance.
The main message seems pretty clear.
Authoritarianism likes isolation.
It wants people confused. But collective action, focusing
on shared truth and these decentralized efforts, those are
(14:18):
the things that build democraticresilience.
And connecting it to the bigger picture, really, it's about
deciding to be part of creating the future you actually want to
see, not just accepting the one someone else might be trying to
impose. Yeah, which I think raises a
really important question for you, for everyone listening.
How are you going to contribute?How will you help rebuild that
media mountain and defend democratic stories in your own
(14:40):
life, in your community? That's the key question and we
really encourage you to talk about this deep dive with other
people. You know, talk about it in
person, online. The sources give you concrete
things to do. Yeah, from checking your
subscriptions to backing independent media.
To pushing for policy changes like that Media Ownership Reform
Act. Maybe think about starting
(15:00):
something local, you know, a decentralized resistance group,
or joining existing ones that focus on nonviolent action to
protect freedom and liberty. Because ultimately, the power
really does come from understanding what's happening
and then acting on that understanding.
The sources hammer this home. Critical thinking, widespread
media literacy. They're absolutely essential in
(15:22):
this information saturated world.
Absolutely, and if you found this deep dive useful, please
consider subscribing. It helps support our work, helps
us keep bringing you these kindsof analysis.
We really believe that sharing these insights can help you take
action and be part of building that better world.
Yeah, In the end, reclaiming that collective freedom, it
starts with individuals, individual actions that ripple
(15:43):
outwards, becoming a movement. It's about being, you know, a
brick in that wall of democraticresistance.
They cancel triple prime time, but we see through the headline
Don't trust that die. You just might fight.
You're the product. They want your mind.
Click click. Cobra gone.
May 2022 exceeding dole #1 rain's hot cash flow flooding by
(16:05):
the axe. It ain't no fun.
Sky dance slid in, but the throne. 5 billionaires on the
phone, 7 mountains. Yeah, they climb.
Faith, biz, golf and media's mine.
It's not foul satire. Kill descent.
Call it budget, but it's just red.
Written minds, written time. Authoritarian by their design.
(16:27):
Tell me why the jokes are gone. Low fascists fill the air.
They flood the zone with noise but silence.
Those who dare fire the networkskill the truth.
Yeah, that's the game. Control the channel.
Control the youth. They control the blame.
Remote control. They play you feeding lies and
(16:50):
high def you. It's a warning.
You're the prize. So sweet.
Don't let this normalize. They cut the show, but not the
strings. Scripted fear with puppet kings.
Sky Dance plays the mountain top.
But we're the ones who can make it stop.
Money moves and shadow deals. Cancel culture not steel.
(17:12):
Steel cage wrapped in cable newswhere every lie is a power tool.
Late night truth got shut down clean because truth don't sell
that fascist dream. It's not the last they really
fear. It's when you start to think too
clear. Every dollar you spend's a foe.
Every silence keeps the boat floating toward the strongman
(17:33):
shore. But we ain't taking it no more.
Remote control. They play, you change the game.
Don't let them play. You cut the corner, kill the
stream, starve the beast, rebuild the dream, push back on
the propaganda, Climb your mountain, light your Lantern.
Media ain't just a show. It's a stage where futures grow.
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