I’d like to start with a little quote from Ben Bagdikian’s The New Media Monopoly:

Five global-dimension firms, operating with many of the characteristics of a cartel, own most of the newspapers, magazines, book publishers, motion picture studios, radio and television stations in the United States.

…

These five conglomerates are Time Warner, by 2003 the largest media firm in the world; The Walt Disney Company; [Rupert] Murdoch’s News Corporation, based in Australia; Viacom; and Bertelsmann, based in Germany.

Things have changed a bit since 2003: but the companies in bold, the second and fourth largest media companies ON THE FUCKING PLANET, these here guys are engaged in a real pissing match. And Time Warner took it to the streets!

At 12:01 am on January 1, FOX has threatened to pull the plug on Time Warner Cable customers – withholding certain programming unless we give in to their demand for massive price increases.

We think FOX is going too far – especially in today’s economy – and we’re glad you agree. Over 800,000 unique visitors have come to this site. And the overwhelming response has been to ‘Get Tough.’ With your support, we’re standing up to FOX to hold down the cost of cable TV.

Yes, yes! Thank you for standing up to the man, especially in today’s economy, because we all fucking make $14.4 million dollars a year JUST like you, Mr. Time Warner Cable CEO.

Let’s leave the total Republican robo-call shtick of the “protest” site alone for a second (roll over or get tough? HMMM I WONDER) and let me take you back to April of this year, so you can see how Time Warner really treats its customers.

Greensboro was one of four test markets for Time Warner’s fancy tiered internet pricing, a completely 100% bullshit scam that inspired protests over outrageous $1 per GB rate overages (speaking of GBs, chode of the year Glenn Beck recently called net neutrality a “Marxist takeover” of the Interweb).

Do you see what I’m saying?! In April, it was totally cool to try and squeeze some pennies out of Joe Dickhead who just wanted to download music/porn like he always has, but NOW, when Rupert’s turning the screws on you guys, suddenly you get all populist with it and want OUR help. It’s like the guy who’s been fucking your girlfriend every day while you’re at work suddenly asks you to help him move!

I have to admit though, at the end of the day, FOX is much better at knowing how to scare the shit out of middle America.

Further reading: [NYT] Fox’s fight with Time Warner sheds light on cable fees