I've seen far too many instances where the agenda is being set by upper management of the over-powerful and sneeringly fascistic dominant media companies.
Does Barry Diller qualify as "upper management of the over-powerful and sneeringly fascistic dominant media (company)"? Actually, this is probably more about extortion than ideology.
nypost.com
DILLER RESISTS GORE CHARM, WON'T AID NETWORK
December 16, 2003 -- With Barry Diller blocking his plans to buy a cable network, former Vice President Al Gore decided that it might be time for a sit-down.
The two got together last week and Gore laid on the charm, trying to convince Diller to lift his veto over the sale of the News World International network from Vivendi Universal Entertainment - veto power that Diller received with the preferred shares he got when he sold his TV assets to Vivendi.
But Gore was out of luck.
The two made little progress, and Diller continues to block Gore's dreams of launching a left-leaning cable news network, source said.
Diller is beginning negotiations with Vivendi about unwinding his stake, which is valued at close to $2.5 billion, following Vivendi's deal to merge its entertainment assets with NBC.
Diller has exercised his veto over the NWI deal to give him additional leverage in his negotiations with Vivendi, sources said.
Diller met with Gore as a "courtesy," sources said, but has not changed his view about the deal.
Gore has proposed buying the channel for about $70 million.
Former AOL Time Warner Chief Operating Officer Bob Pittman is advising Gore on the deal.
Gore envisions creating a youth-oriented cable news network with a left-leaning political slant.
The group advising Gore - which includes big Democratic Party fund-raiser Joel Hyatt, who is Gore's largest financial backer - is deciding whether to locate the network in San Francisco or New York.
Two names for the channel are being debated: The Indie Channel and VTV.
Tim Arango |
