1. Our media is in the hands of very few large and powerful corporations. What is the cost of this practice? Consider political and economic influences. In the Beyond Borders textbook on pages 60-74 Michael Parenti's article “Mass Media: For the Many, for the Few” goes into detail about the few corporations that control the media and the costs of this practice. Let's first talk about what classifies as average. We have newspapers, magazines, radio, films, television, etc. Television and radio are the most dominated forms of media and are in the hands of four giant networks, which are ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. These media companies not only own television networks but other forms of media, such as; cable companies, book publishing houses, movie studios, satellite television, etc. Because the broadcast industry failed to provide adequate regulatory policies, competition decreased, which caused great economic influence. Competition was supposed to lower prices, but instead there was an increase in cable and telephone rates. Furthermore, media owners do not hesitate to exercise control over news content. They often kill stories they don't like and in other ways introduce their own preferences. In other words, they determine which person, which facts, which version of events, and which ideas will reach the public. The media can also have political influence. “Progressive candidates are competing not only against well-funded opponents but also against many idle media distractions. It is almost impossible for these candidates to try to run a meaningful campaign because the media will withhold their media coverage.” The few multinationals can manipulate the media in any way. In summary, the media is ne...... middle of paper ......Works Cited1. Relatives, Michael. "Mass media: for the many, for the few." Beyond borders: Thinking critically about global issues. New York: Value, 2006. 60-74. Print.2. International Labor Organization. “Facts about Child Labor.” Beyond borders: Thinking critically about global issues. New York: Value, 2006. 396-97. Print.3. United Nations Bulletin on the Eradication of Poverty. “Fact Sheet on World Poverty and Hunger.” Beyond borders: Thinking critically about global issues. New York: Value, 2006. 398-99. Print.4."Globalization in everyday life." Beyond borders: Thinking critically about global issues. New York: Value, 2006. 471-571. Print.5. Ferree, Myra Marx. “Globalization and Feminism: Opportunities and Obstacles for Activism in the Global Arena.” Globalization: the transformation of social worlds. 3rd ed. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. 291-302. Press.