Need we say more? See 4 urself... There's already only 7 of these corporate giants in total — and how long will it b b4 there r even fewer?

It all began innocently enough. Young entrepreneurs in the early 20th century started up new companies with a mix of creative ambition and business acumen. Then these companies grew bigger and bigger, and whatever entrepreneurial vision was present at their birth became more and more diluted and less and less relevant. Then corporate accountants suggested merging with or taking over other companies — and it all became an all-2-real game of Monopoly.

Then the Internet and "new technologies" came about, and the accountants' next big idea was convergence — i.e. the merging of "content" providers and "access" providers in order 2 control everything from the inception of a "cultural product" 2 its ultimate consumption by the unsuspecting masses.

The Art of Manipulation
It is easy 2 guess what got lost along the way... Creativity. Artistry. Independence. Critical objectivity. Uncontrolled access. The ability 2 "break thru" cultural barriers. Cultural diversity. Innovation. Freedom. Real music. Real art.

Juggling between art and commerce is a delicate balance at the best of times... and these r definitely NOT the best of times.

So now we have a so-called magazine "reporting" on the latest new blockbuster movie with a 10-page, full-color spread — as if the reporters weren't aware that the same company that produced the movie also owns their magazine... Yes, this is still called a "magazine". These r still called "reporters". And this is still called "journalism"... And yet millions of people r gleefully letting themselves b had.

Maybe we should stop calling this "art", or even "entertainment" 4 that matter — 4 what is so entertaining about being involved in a collective hallucination? Maybe we should start calling it what it really is, i.e. unfettered MANIPULATION.

In 1995, Clear Channel Communications owned 43 radio stations. Now it owns more than 1,200 — and its army of so-called "independent promoters" r letting legalized payola dictate what u get (or rather don't get) 2 hear on the radio.

Everywhere u look, the story is the same: more and more money, less and less choice, less and less freedom of access, fewer and fewer companies. How far will this have 2 go b4 a big shift in people's attitude causes this commercial hubris 2 collapse on2 itself and implode?

Power Struggles
The first major cracks in this highly concentrated corporate world have, of course, already begun 2 appear, in what has been making the headlines in the past few months, i.e. shady accounting practices involving enormous amounts of money — enough 2 shake the economy of the most powerful nation of the world. And the hysterical stock markets have of course been swayed by this news, at the xpense of tens of thousands of workers worldwide and millions of small investors who thought that their holdings had nowhere 2 go but up.