Many channels, no choice: many Americans think that news and entertainment providers differ from one another. in reality, the same global cabal essentially controls them all. (The Media Cartel).

For the Joneses -- a hypothetical, representative middle-American family -- the typical day begins at 5:30 a.m., with ESPN Radio blaring from Dad's clock radio. As Dad, morning cup of coffee in hand, skims the headlines of his "local" newspaper (which actually is an outlet for the Gannett newspaper chain), Mom watches the Today show as she fixes breakfast. Later in the morning, after the rest of the family is away at school and work, Mom -- her schedule permitting -- may sit down and watch The View or take in a movie on the Lifetime cable network.

The family's two school-age children begin the day with a news digest presented by CNN's Channel One service. ...